When Fox News’ Mark Levin Faced Backlash for Calling Vivek Ramaswamy a 'Charlatan'

In a Twitter post, Fox News host Mark Levin got himself into trouble by calling former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy a "charlatan." Levin's criticism follows Ramaswamy's remarks on Israel, which was shared by The Right Scoop while labeling Ramaswamy as "utterly stupid."

An article from The Right Scoop that criticized Ramaswamy's position on Israel led to Levin's condemnation of Ramaswamy. According to Ramaswamy's statement, an Israeli invasion of Gaza on the ground could be "potentially catastrophic." He added that before launching any military operations in Gaza, Israel should establish precise goals for success. Ramaswamy's remarks also touched on financial issues, arguing that given the U.S.'s crippling national debt and the potential risks involved, the country shouldn't offer any more foreign aid to Isreal. To these claims, Levin responded critically. He referred to Ramaswamy as a "charlatan" on Twitter, sparking a social media uproar. He wrote, "It’s time to recognize that this guy is a charlatan."

The backlash against Levin's criticism of Ramaswamy was quick and intense. On social media, a lot of people expressed their disagreement with Levin's assessment. "He may not be the best fit for president… but a charlatan? Good grief Mark…chill out." said one user. Levin's judgment was questioned by another, who said they began to wonder about his motives. Even though Levin has a sizable following, his supporters appeared to disagree with how he described Ramaswamy. "A rare moment when we disagree," said one user.

A candidate like Ramaswamy, known for his right-wing "America First" politics, is under fire even from his side as a result of this controversy, which highlights a deeper rift within the conservative movement. His views on Israel and foreign policy may be popular with some Republicans, but as the Fox News coverage shows, they also draw criticism from other Republicans, reports Vanity Fair. He stated during a Fox News interview earlier that he thought U.S. aid to Israel should be phased out gradually in the hopes that by 2028 Israel would be self-sufficient and not need such aid. His main point is that Israel should be able to stand on its "own two feet" and fit into the Middle Eastern region's economic and security framework.

Ramaswamy's views may have found some traction among the conservative base, but Fox News hosts like Sean Hannity criticized them. Hannity expressed concerns about the candidate's approach to Israel's security and questioned why Ramaswamy said that Israel shouldn't receive special treatment from the United States during the interview. The cohosts of Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy, seemed perplexed by Ramaswamy's suggestions for foreign policy. While Kilmeade questioned the candidate's position, Doocy declared, "He’s wrong about all that foreign policy stuff." Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen went even further, calling Ramaswamy's position on the Russia-Ukraine war "criminally stupid." The candidate faced harsh criticism for his plan to reach a deal with Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on October 24, 2023. It has since been updated.