Vivek Ramaswamy Roasted After Nearly Dropping 10-Year-Old Kid at Trump Rally: 'Absolutely Brutal'
Vivek Ramaswamy nearly dropped a young boy during a Donald Trump rally in Ohio.
Oct. 4 2026, Updated 1:40 p.m. ET
Vivek Ramaswamy found himself at the center of another viral campaign moment after nearly losing his grip on a 10-year-old boy during Donald Trump's Ohio rally, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Republican gubernatorial candidate was quickly mocked online after the awkward interaction, with critics comparing the footage to some of the most infamous political photo-ops.
Vivek Ramaswamy Invites Military Kid Onstage
Vivek Ramaswamy attempted to lift a 10-year-old onstage.
Ramaswamy, 41, appeared at Trump's October 3 rally in Vandalia, Ohio, before the president spoke.
While addressing the crowd, he spotted a young boy holding a sign that read, "My dad is deployed—proud military kid for Trump."
Ramaswamy invited the child onto the stage and attempted to lift him toward the podium.
"I'll pick you up," he told the boy.
The attempt quickly became awkward as Ramaswamy appeared to lose his grip and scrambled to steady the child.
"Whoa!" he exclaimed before adding, "Big guy!"
Once the moment was under control, the child shouted into the microphone, "USA!"
However, Vivek Ramaswamy struggled to keep hold of the child.
'Loser'
Vivek Ramaswamy faced plenty of criticism after the footage spread online.
The brief moment immediately prompted reactions online.
"Total f------ loser," one person wrote.
Another said, "It looks like when they are trying to figure out how to grab the last heavy boulder in the world's strongest man contests."
"That kid looked way too much like a ragdoll in his hands lmao," someone else joked.
One person claimed the interaction was "staged," while another said, "Absolutely brutal video. Terrible decision, terrible execution. This type of video haunts a candidate forever."
Another user shared, "Whatever political 'it' is, poor Vivek just doesn’t have it."
Michael Dukakis Comparison Goes Viral
Social media users compared Vivek Ramaswamy's moment to Michael Dukakis' infamous tank photo-op.
The incident also prompted comparisons to Michael Dukakis' infamous 1988 tank photo-op, which became a defining image of his presidential campaign.
"This is worse than Dukakis in the tank," one critic declared.
Another wrote, "This will be his Dukakis in the tank moment, but that kid is that age and body type that fools ya!"
A third added, "Immediately up there with the Dukakis tank photo and Howard Dean scream."
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Not Vivek Ramaswamy's First Viral Gaffe
Vivek Ramaswamy's latest viral moment comes just weeks after his controversial batting-cage video.
The latest controversy comes just weeks after Ramaswamy was mocked over a campaign video.
In the video, Ramaswamy was taking swings in a batting cage while outlining "10 things" he planned to do for Ohio.
Critics questioned the decision to use the baseball footage, with one writing, "Why would a guy that's clearly never picked up a baseball bat in his life post a video like this? Makes no sense."
Another joked, "Bro is swinging like he's allergic to the ball."
