WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday praised a television advertisement run by Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that features the estranged mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. The endorsement comes as prominent Republicans in Ohio and nationally divided over the controversial spot.
The advertisement, which began circulating on social media before moving to television, features Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar and attempting to undermine her credibility. The spot drew immediate condemnation from Acton’s campaign, while her brother, Philip Stearns, labeled the attack a despicable low.
Court documents provided by the campaign indicate that Arthur’s now-deceased husband was charged with raping Acton when she was between 10 and 12 years old. The records show the accused entered a not guilty plea and left the area while out on bond, meaning the case never went to trial. Stearns pointed out that their birth mother remained married to the accused rapist until his death, criticizing Ramaswamy for turning childhood sexual abuse into a political talking point.
Despite the backlash, Vice President JD Vance and President Trump defended the commercial and utilized it to critique Acton. In a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed he suggested Ramaswamy keep the ad running, asserting that the press was attempting to coordinate an attack to force its removal. Trump argued that a mother speaking publicly against her daughter in such a manner would normally preclude someone from holding public office.
When questioned by reporters on the White House South Lawn about the family’s backstory regarding the rape allegations against Arthur’s husband, Trump stated he was unaware of those details. He maintained that the central point was the mother’s public criticism of a candidate running for governor, adding that if an equivalent ad targeted him, political opponents would embrace it.
Trump also targeted Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a fellow Republican who earlier on Thursday told reporters that the Ramaswamy campaign should take the ad down, calling it wrong. DeWine, whose endorsement of Ramaswamy remained intact, faced sharp criticism from Trump, who labeled him disloyal and suggested the governor wanted a Democrat to win.
During a late Thursday rally in Iowa, Trump doubled down on his support, recounting that he advised Ramaswamy to ride out the controversy and keep the material on the air. Vance echoed the sentiment, telling critics within the party to stop whining about the spot.
Other Republicans expressed discomfort with the campaign tactic. Ohio Republican Senator John Husted, who is running for reelection, stated he would not have run the commercial. Outgoing Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina characterized it as the most shameful, disgusting, and offensive ad of the election season. Meanwhile, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose told a local station he likely would not run such an ad, though he noted that candidates make their own decisions.
