Kash Patel and Vivek Ramaswamy get hit with a hard MAGA truth

[marmar]

Kash Patel and Vivek Ramaswamy get hit with a hard MAGA truth
The right’s anti-Indian hate problem can no longer be contained to the internet

By Sophia Tesfaye
Senior Writer
Published October 21, 2025 9:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) After a series of racist revelations and embarrassing encounters, Republicans are being confronted with the very undercurrent of extremism they have cultivated for years. Far from being confined to the fringes, the venom of hate and edgelord internet trolling that propelled President Donald Trump’s return to the White House cannot be contained online — and now it’s coming back to bite some of MAGA’s top foot soldiers.

On Monday, FBI director Kash Patel posted a simple message on X to mark Diwali. The first Indian-American to lead the FBI, Patel is a practicing Hindu who took his oath of office earlier this year with his hand resting on the Bhagavad Gita. After sharing the holiday’s message of hope, light and goodness, the New York-born Patel faced a wave of online hate, including calls for him to “Go back to India.” Conservative podcaster Steven Crowder shared Patel’s message with “Could we not?” Right-wing pastor and podcaster Joel Webbon’s reply was more blunt: “Go back home and worship your sand demons. Get out of my country.” Another MAGA supporter asked why Patel was “betraying Charlie Kirk.”

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MAGA-aligned Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor in Ohio, faced similar attacks from the right. On Monday, disparaging comments targeting Ramawamy resurfaced from Paul Ingrassia, Trump’s controversial nominee to lead the White House Office of the Special Counsel, who said in January 2024, “Never trust a chinaman or Indian. NEVER.” After Ingrassia’s comments were revealed, at least four Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, yanked their support for the nominee, whose confirmation hearing was scheduled for Thursday. Ingrassia withdrew his nomination late Tuesday.

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After being asked by another student why he “masquerade[s] as a Christian,” Ramaswamy, whose social media posts featuring his family are routinely flooded with racist comments, was forced to defend his faith. “I’m an ethical monotheist, that’s the way I would describe my faith,” he said. “Do you think it’s inappropriate for someone who’s a Hindu to be a U.S. president?”

Another student essentially told Ramaswamy there is no room for him in Kirk’s movement: “But isn’t Charlie Kirk’s organization founded on Christian values as well? And isn’t America based on what Protestantism is and based on how those values are? Wouldn’t that contradict what your beliefs are?” .....................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/10/21/kash-patel-and-vivek-ramaswamy-get-hit-with-a-hard-maga-truth/