Entrepreneur and anti-environmental activist Vivek Ramaswamy announced on Tuesday that he is ending his 2024 presidential campaign, after a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses.
Mr Ramaswamy said he made the decision after determining there was no path for him to secure the Republican Party nomination.
He said he would now be backing former president Donald Trump – who won 98 out of the state's 99 counties in a resounding victory.
“Tonight, I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Donald J Trump and will do everything I can to make sure he is the next US president,” Mr Ramaswamy said in a post on X.
Speaking to supporters in Iowa's state capital Des Moines, Mr Ramaswamy asked them “to follow me in taking our America First movement to the next level”.
Mr Ramaswamy suggested he might join Mr Trump for an event in New Hampshire – the next stop in the Republican nomination race – on Tuesday night.
He also said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley should also drop out of the race.
Mr DeSantis and Ms Haley finished a distant second and third place, respectively, in the Iowa caucuses. With Mr Trump expected to win big, the contest was seen as a test for if either of the other candidates could establish themselves as an alternative to the Republican front-runner.
Mr Trump won 51 per cent of the votes on Monday night. Mr DeSantis won 21.2 per cent and Ms Haley won 19.1 per cent.
The results mean that Mr Trump claimed 20 of the state's 40 delegates, with eight being delivered to Mr DeSantis and seven to Ms Haley. Mr Ramaswamy won three delegates.
Mr Ramaswamy clashed with his rivals on the debate stage numerous times in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses.
He also called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “terrorist” and said that climate change is a “hoax”.
The son of Indian immigrants, Mr Ramaswamy graduated from Harvard University before founding biotech firm Roivent Sciences.
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper
Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
