republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy A MAGA commentator who questioned the Indian-origin leader’s U.S. citizenship and identity has once again been targeted online after he posted about U.S. national purpose and unity.Andrew Branca, a conservative activist known for his opposition to India and the H1B visa program, responded to Ramaswamy on X, claiming that the Ohio gubernatorial candidate was not a U.S. citizen because his parents were not naturalized when he was born.Branca explained why he believes Vivek is not a U.S. citizen: “If Vivek Ramaswamy was born on U.S. soil to parents who were not permanent residents, then he is not a U.S. citizen.”
He went on to add: “We are convinced that Vivek’s mother did not become a naturalized U.S. citizen until Vivek came of age, and Vivek’s father never became a naturalized U.S. citizen.”Branca further claimed that even if Ramaswamy were eligible for citizenship, he would not be culturally American. “Even if Vivek Ramaswamy is somehow a ‘technical’ American citizen, he is certainly a literate Indian,” he said.
Vivek Ramaswamy is not a U.S. citizen if his parents were not permanent residents when he was born on U.S. soil.
We are convinced that Vivek’s mother did not become a U.S. citizen until Vivek came of age, and Vivek’s father… https://t.co/lVwJo7i7yy
— The Andrew Branca Show (@TheBrancaShow) February 10, 2026
The comments were in response to Ramaswamy’s post promoting the “American Dream.” In his post, Ramaswamy argued that America needs a common national project to transcend identity politics and inspire future generations.“Fourth, provide America with the common national projects we so desperately need,” Ramaswamy wrote. He laid out ambitious goals, like a modern-day Apollo mission, aimed at reinvigorating science education and innovation. Such projects, he said, could help Americans “together achieve national escape velocity and reach more promising areas.”Ramaswamy is now running as the Republican candidate for governor of Ohio. His racial issues have repeatedly drawn backlash from some in the MAGA base. Some on the hard right have questioned his belonging and loyalty to the United States and called for his deportation.In December, Ramaswamy reignited controversy after giving a speech praising the American dream. “There’s no Canadian dream. There’s no British dream. There’s no Chinese dream. It’s called the American dream for a reason,” he said.Despite facing racist and xenophobic attacks, Ramaswamy enjoys strong support within the Republican Party and has the backing of US President Donald Trump. He will face Democratic candidate Amy Acton in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial race.About his parents and background: Vivek Ramaswamy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1985 to Indian immigrant parents. His father, V. Ganapathy Ramaswamy, is an engineer and patent attorney who immigrated to the United States from the southern Indian state of Kerala, and his mother, Geetha Ramaswamy, is a geriatric psychiatrist. Both were Hindu immigrants from Palakkad district in Kerala. His parents settled in the United States before his birth, and he grew up in Ohio as a second-generation Indian-American.
