Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is suing the World Economic Forum (WEF), accusing the company of portraying him as a “young global leader” and refusing to remove him from its website.
Ramaswamy filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Cincinnati, Ohio, to distance himself from the “progressive” and “radical” policies advanced by the WEF, the New York Post reported.
Well this is a first:@VivekGRamaswamy is suing the World Economic Forum “for creating a false perception of affiliation” by listing him as one of their Young Global Leaders
He “categorically said no” when asked to be on the list and “repeatedly” asked to be removed.
More: pic.twitter.com/Bnzc855Yji
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) April 19, 2023
“This is an organization that does a lot of wrong and I’ve opposed it publicly and believe it should be held accountable,” Ramaswamy told the outlet. “The WEF has a radical worldview that rejects the principles America was founded on. I’m not interested in being a ‘global citizen.’ I’m an American.” (RELATED: Don Lemon Becomes Apoplectic In Heated Debate With Vivek Ramaswamy)
Ramaswamy is a businessman and author reportedly worth an estimated $500 million from his pharmaceutical ventures and asset management firm. His name was featured on the WEF’s 2021 “class of Young Global Leaders” before it was scrubbed from the website, an archived version shows.
“These young leaders exemplify what we need most today: hope, empathy, authenticity and the drive to develop solutions that can change the world for the better,” the archived page reads. “We celebrate these individuals and the difference they are committed to making globally, particularly at this critical juncture.”
Ramaswamy’s lawsuit accuses the WEF of tarnishing his brand by putting him on the list and seeks $2,500 in damages, the NY Post reported. “The World Economic Forum’s unwanted appropriation of Mr. Ramaswamy’s persona has created the illusion of affiliation,” the lawsuit reads, according to the outlet. “The WEF seemingly exploited this false and manufactured affiliation with Mr. Ramaswamy to undermine his credibility as a critic of the World Economic Forum and its objectives.”
Conservative activist Jack Posobiec criticized Ramaswamy for being listed as a young global leader by the WEF shortly after the latter’s presidential campaign announcement in February.
“Funny you should bring this up,” Ramaswamy tweeted in response to Posobiec’s criticism. “The first chapter of my upcoming book in April has the ‘receipts’ of my exchanges with the World Economic Forum years ago when they *repeatedly* kept trying to get me to be named. I gave them a polite ‘hell no.’ Reveals the games that WEF plays.” (RELATED: ‘Crack A Cold Hard Truth’: GOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Trolls Bud Light With Branded Beer Koozies)
Funny you should bring this up. The first chapter of my upcoming book in April has the “receipts” of my exchanges with the World Economic Forum years ago when they *repeatedly* kept trying to get me to be named. I gave them a polite “hell no.” Reveals the games that WEF plays. https://t.co/v5SVRr1p9z
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
The WEF is an annual gathering of global elites held in Davos, Switzerland, run by German engineer Klaus Schwab, who once boasted about how he has “penetrated the cabinets” of many countries around the world.
Conservatives have criticized the WEF for using its influence to promote aggressive responses to climate change and liberal social values. In particular, the WEF’s 2020 “Great Reset” initiative launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and its articles about eating bugs have drawn the ire of conservatives concerned about its influence over world leaders.
“The World Economic Forum invited Mr. Ramaswamy as a potential member of the YGL community. However, an individual does not formally become a member of the YGL community until they accept a nomination,” a WEF spokesperson told the Daily Caller.
“Mr. Ramaswamy declined to be nominated and was therefore never an active member of the YGL community.”