President Donald Trump has again defended a controversial advertisement funded by Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, which features Ramaswamy's opponent's estranged mother.
In the ad, which began airing last week, Amy Acton's mother calls her daughter "a liar" and "no good." Acton has stated that her mother remained married to her stepfather even after he was indicted for allegedly raping Acton when she was a teenager.
"Vivek was treated very unfairly," Trump said, referring to the backlash Ramaswamy has faced. "The mother said that Amy Acton, the daughter, is a liar, that she’s no good, that she lied about the opponent. How the hell is that his problem?"
Despite Trump's defense, internal polling has indicated that the attack ad may be having a negative impact on Ramaswamy's campaign. According to Axios, private polls showed Acton's lead over Ramaswamy increased by six points since the ad began running, with a memo attached to the poll stating the controversy was "having a significant effect on the gubernatorial race."
While Trump has supported Ramaswamy, many Republicans have condemned the ad. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) called the ad "deeply, deeply troubling" and urged its removal. Vice President JD Vance, however, defended the ad, expressing disgust with Republicans who criticized it.
Ramaswamy has refused to apologize for the ad and has pledged to spend $4 million promoting it. Trump also criticized the press's coverage of the ad, suggesting that if his own mother had made negative statements about him, "the press would be getting Pulitzer Prizes."