Trump praises "powerful" Ramaswamy ad featuring Acton's mother

Washington — President Trump on Thursday praised the "very powerful ad" Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is running featuring the estranged mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. The president criticized Republican Gov. Mike DeWine for calling for the ad to be taken down. 

Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that he suggested Ramaswamy keep the ad up, saying the press is "trying to convince everyone that this Ad is bad, because it's so good!" The ad, which first circulated on social media on Monday and is now television, features Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who called Acton a "liar" and sought to undermine her credibility. Acton's campaign condemned the ad, and her brother, Philip Stearns, called it a "despicable low." 

According to court documents provided by the campaign, Arthur's now-deceased husband was charged with raping Acton, which she said occurred when she was between 10 and 12 years old. He entered a not guilty plea and left the area while out on bond; the case never went to trial.

DeWine on Thursday said he thought the Ramaswamy campaign should take the ad down. "It's wrong to run this ad," the Ohio Republican told reporters. "I would urge Ramaswamy's campaign to take this down." DeWine did not rescind his endorsement. 

But Vice President JD Vance and now Mr. Trump are defending the ad and using it to criticize Acton. 

"Vivek Ramaswamy put up a very powerful Ad about a mother saying that her daughter, Amy Acton, who is running for Governor of Ohio, is a liar, and much worse," Mr. Trump wrote in his social media post. "The Press, in a concerted and well coordinated attack, is trying to get Vivek Ramaswamy to 'take down the Ad.' Frankly, anybody whose mother spoke about a daughter in that way would normally lead to the daughter being precluded from serving in Office, let alone the Office of Governor."

In his post, Mr. Trump did not mention why Acton and her birth mother are estranged, or any of the family's backstory. 

Shortly after his post, on the White House South Lawn, reporters told Mr. Trump the backstory — that Acton's mother stayed married to the man charged with raping her. CBS News senior White House reporter Weijia Jiang asked the president why anyone should listen to what the estranged mother has to say. 

"Well I know nothing about it," the president responded. "All I know is the mother said very bad things about Acton, who I guess is running for governor against Vivek. And all I can say is Vivek is great. And I know one thing, if my mother said bad about me, it would be a major news story, that's for sure. So I don't know what it is, but I guess the mother said very bad things about the one who's running for governor. And I think you have to say that seriously." 

"I'm defending it because I know that if that ad were about my mother, you would love it, you would love every inch of it," Mr. Trump added. 

In his post, the president specifically went after DeWine.

"Our RINO Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, who I unfortunately helped get elected years ago, when he was losing by 16 points prior to my doing a Rally for him was, as usual, disloyal to the Republican Party," Mr. Trump wrote. "He strongly suggested that Vivek should, 'take down the Ad.' He probably wants a Dumocrat to win, and certainly doesn't want someone who will do a much better job than he is capable of doing. I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up..."

Mr. Trump added he only wishes the "mothers of my opponents would be so brave as to come forward and explain that their son or daughter is a liar, and much worse." 

"Who wouldn't use such an Ad?" Mr. Trump wrote. "I would, it's called, 'hitting pay dirt.'"

Vance, too, defended the ad, saying Republicans who have criticized it should "stop whining." 

Ohio Republican Sen. John Husted, who is running for reelection, said he "would not have run that ad." 

Outgoing Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina called the ad the "most shameful, disgusting, offensive ad this election season."

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, told a local ABC station he "probably wouldn't run an ad like that, but every candidate gets to make their own decision."

Acton's brother said earlier this week it's "not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother's husband into a political talking point." 

"Our birth mother stayed married to Amy's rapist until he died," Stearns said. "This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core – a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants."