Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Compares Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Author Ibram X. Kendi to “Grand Wizards of the Modern KKK

PELLA, Iowa ― At a campaign event on Friday, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made controversial remarks about Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley and author Ibram X. Kendi, comparing them to “grand wizards of the modern KKK.”

Ramaswamy, a multi-millionaire biotech investor, was responding to a question from an Iowa resident asking if he would be accused of being a “white supremacist” or “white adjacent” race traitor. The remarks came after Pressley, the first Black woman elected to Congress, said in a speech that “we don’t want any more black faces that don’t want to be a black voice.”

Kendi, a prominent anti-racist author, has also been vocal in his criticism of race-neutral policies and support for affirmative action. Ramaswamy has made support for race-neutral policies and opposition to affirmative action cornerstones of his campaign.

Ramaswamy’s comments have been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called the remarks “reprehensible” and said they had “no place in our politics.” Republican Sen. Mitt Romney also condemned the remarks, calling them “outrageous and offensive.”

Ramaswamy has yet to respond to the criticism and has not issued an apology. His campaign has not commented on the remarks.