Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened | Donald Trump | The Guardian (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html) (../../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/manifest.json) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon.svg) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-360.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-240.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-120.png) (../../../../../../static.guim.co.uk/images/favicon-32x32.ico) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://sourcepoint.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk) (https://hits-secure.theguardian.com) (https://interactive.guim.co.uk) (https://static.theguardian.com) (https://support.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-headline/noalts-not-hinted/GHGuardianHeadline-Bold.woff2) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-textegyptian/noalts-not-hinted/GuardianTextEgyptian-Regular.woff2) (../../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/css/print.css) (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#maincontent) Skip to main content (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#navigation) Skip to navigation (Close [ESC or Q]) Close dialogue 1 / 5 (Next image [→]) Next image (Previous image [←]) Previous image (Toggle caption [i]) Toggle caption (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#key-events-carousel) Skip to key events (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters (https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header) Sign in US (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) US edition (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) UK edition (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) Australia edition (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) Europe edition (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) International edition (https://www.theguardian.com/) The Guardian - Back to home The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/) News (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle Show more Hide expanded menu News (https://www.theguardian.com/) View all News (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) US politics (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) Midterms 2026 (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World news (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) Climate crisis (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) Ukraine (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/usimmigration) US immigration (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business (https://www.theguardian.com/us/environment) Environment (https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology) Tech (https://www.theguardian.com/science) Science (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) View all Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) The Guardian view (https://www.theguardian.com/us/columnists) Columnists (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) Letters (https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) Opinion videos (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) Cartoons Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) View all Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nfl) NFL (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) Tennis (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/mlb) MLB (https://www.theguardian.com/football/mls) MLS (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba) NBA (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/wnba) WNBA (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nhl) NHL (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) F1 (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) Golf Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) View all Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/film) Film (https://www.theguardian.com/books) Books (https://www.theguardian.com/music) Music (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) Art & design (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) TV & radio (https://www.theguardian.com/stage) Stage (https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) Classical (https://www.theguardian.com/games) Games (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/series/design-a-better-world) Design a better world Lifestyle (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) View all Lifestyle (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) Fashion (https://www.theguardian.com/food) Food (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) Recipes (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) Love & sex (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) Home & garden (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) Health & fitness (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family) Family (https://www.theguardian.com/travel) Travel (https://www.theguardian.com/money) Money Search input (Search the Guardian) google-search Search (www.theguardian.com) (https://support.theguardian.com?acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D&INTCMP=side_menu_support) Support us (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters (https://app.adjust.com/1hskf6nd?adgroup=USHeader) Download the app (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us (https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) The Guardian app (https://www.theguardian.com/video) Video (https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) Podcasts (https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) Pictures (https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) Inside the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_US) Guardian Weekly (https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) Crosswords (https://www.wordiply.com) Wordiply (https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) Corrections (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tips Search input (Search the Guardian) google-search Search (www.theguardian.com) (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) US midterm elections 2026 (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2026/oct/22/how-alabamas-republicans-are-disenfranchising-black-voters-video) Anywhere but Washington (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/02/midterm-races-control-congress-charts-visuals) Key races mapped (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/09/midterm-voters-biggest-issues-trump) Voter panel (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2026/oct/22/us-midterm-elections-trump-steal-stateside-podcast) Stateside with Kai and Carter (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/08/midterms-democrats-republican-strongholds) The Stakes (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/us-politics-live-with-shrai-popat) US politics live with Shrai Popat (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) Donald Trump Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened This live blog is now closed. (https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&utm_campaign=BN22326&utm_content=signup&utm_term=standfirst&utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB) Sign up for the Breaking News US email (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/22/ramaswamy-attack-ad-ohio-dewine) Trump attacks Ohio governor over call for Ramaswamy to drop ‘deeply troubling’ ad Updated 7h ago (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/robert-mackey) Robert Mackey , (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/shrai-popat) Shrai Popat , (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-campbell) Lucy Campbell and (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/frances-mao) Frances Mao Thu 22 Oct 2026 21.59 EDT First published on Thu 22 Oct 2026 06.51 EDT (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url) Share Key events (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adabe618f089594be386264#block-6adabe618f089594be386264) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 7h ago Closing summary (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515#block-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago Donald Trump has left the building (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14#block-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 'I am, really, on the ballot', Trump says, without offering to resign if Republicans lose the midterms (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd#block-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 'You’ve got to ride with it'. Trump says he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running ad featuring Acton's estranged mother (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaab828f089594be3861e0#block-6adaab828f089594be3861e0) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago Describing cognitive test, Trump recites math problem he claims he solved, but does not provide the answer (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3#block-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago Trump tosses conspiracy theories about Ilhan Omar to Iowa crowd, prompting chants of 'Lock her up!' (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4#block-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago Trump begins Iowa rally in support of Republican candidates with heaps of praise for himself (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f#block-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10h ago As Trump travels to Iowa, Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson denounced Ohio ad he supports (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada93108f089594be38617d#block-6ada93108f089594be38617d) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10h ago Student IDs will not be accepted at New Hampshire polls, Supreme Court rules (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada76bb8f085ebc4ea96345#block-6ada76bb8f085ebc4ea96345) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 06:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 11h ago Trump says 'the press has ganged up on' Amy Acton's estranged mother who stayed with husband charged with raping her daughter (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada71738f08cc7b3d552979#block-6ada71738f08cc7b3d552979) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 04:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 13h ago Trump's DoJ investigating Corey Lewandowski over role as Kristi Noem adviser – reports (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada36c28f089594be385d92#block-6ada36c28f089594be385d92) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 03:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 13h ago State department reportedly asked career officials up for promotions about voting history (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada59098f089594be385fac#block-6ada59098f089594be385fac) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 03:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 14h ago Here's a recap of the day so far (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada5b218f08cc7b3d5528a6#block-6ada5b218f08cc7b3d5528a6) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 03:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 14h ago 'Vivek should keep it up': Trump defends controversial Ramaswamy campaign ad condemned by Republicans (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada50218f08cc7b3d552835#block-6ada50218f08cc7b3d552835) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 02:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 15h ago 'We've got a Senate race to win': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigns with Troy Jackson in Maine (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada47cb8f08cc7b3d5527db#block-6ada47cb8f08cc7b3d5527db) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 01:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 16h ago AG doesn't rule out DoJ weighing in on states' certifying election results in certain scenarios (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada46358f089594be385ec5#block-6ada46358f089594be385ec5) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 01:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 16h ago Maine GOP senator Susan Collins calls for removal of radio ad attacking Democrat Troy Jackson as a 'creep' (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada44e58f089594be385ea7#block-6ada44e58f089594be385ea7) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 01:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 16h ago Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt noncitizen voting investigation in nine states (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada2af68f089594be385cd9#block-6ada2af68f089594be385cd9) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 11:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 18h ago Democrats have 37-point lead over Republicans among likely young voters, new poll finds (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada280f8f089cf0adb555ab#block-6ada280f8f089cf0adb555ab) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 11:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 18h ago Key election forecaster shifts Ohio gubernatorial race in Dems favor after GOP campaign ad controversy (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada1c588f087028f9798152#block-6ada1c588f087028f9798152) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 10:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 19h ago 'Deeply troubling': Republican governor of Ohio calls on Ramaswamy to take down campaign ad featuring Democratic opponent's estranged mother (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada07f28f08ff3e3d9f56a1#block-6ada07f28f08ff3e3d9f56a1) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 20h ago Guardian reporters answer your questions about Trump's mass deportation agenda and the midterms (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9f2d58f08a26c68d9067f#block-6ad9f2d58f08a26c68d9067f) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 22h ago Texas Senate race neck-and-neck as midterms loom (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9e7288f08289f1892649d#block-6ad9e7288f08289f1892649d) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 22h ago Trump praised supporters for punching protesters at rally (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9d32b8f08feceee065bb3#block-6ad9d32b8f08feceee065bb3) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 06:51 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 23h ago Vivek Ramaswamy campaign ad for Ohio ‘shameful, disgusting’, says Republican congresswoman (President Trump speaks at a podium with a presidential seal, gesturing toward the crowd) Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Sioux Gateway Airport on 22 October. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#img-1) View image in fullscreen Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Sioux Gateway Airport on 22 October. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/robert-mackey) Robert Mackey , (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/shrai-popat) Shrai Popat , (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-campbell) Lucy Campbell and (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/frances-mao) Frances Mao Thu 22 Oct 2026 21.59 EDT First published on Thu 22 Oct 2026 06.51 EDT (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url) Share From(Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd#block-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd) 21.15 EDT 'You’ve got to ride with it'. Trump says he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running ad featuring Acton's estranged mother Speaking in Iowa on Thursday, Donald Trump told supporters that he had personally encouraged Vivek Ramaswamy , the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, to keep running an attack ad featuring the mother of his Democratic rival, Dr Amy Acton , who had lost custody of her daughter at age 12 because her husband was charged with raping the young girl. “They did an ad of the mother saying the daughter is incompetent, a liar and disgusting unreliable person,” Trump said, adding some claims that were not, in fact, in the ad. “My mom would not say that about me - even if she believed it,” the president added, making light of the testimony of a woman who sided with the man charged with raping her own 12-year-old daughter. “When I first saw it, I said, ‘Wow, that means Vivek easily will win the race’. And then I got a call from Vivek,” Trump said. “He said, ‘What would you recommend? Because I’m getting killed in the press.’ Why? He said, ‘Because they think I should immediately take the ad off.’” “The mother said horrible things about your opponent,” Trump said. “I said, ‘You’ve got to ride with it’”. The president made no mention of the fact that the Republican Senate candidate he was there to support, Ashley Hinson , (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f#block-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f) denounced the ad earlier on Thursday. “I think it’s absolutely terrible, and I think they should take the ad down,” Hinson told ABC News ahead of Trump’s appearance. (Donald Trump shared the stage with congresswoman Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee for Senate, at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday.) Donald Trump shared the stage with congresswoman Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee for Senate, at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd#block-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd) Share Updated at (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 21.40 EDT Key events (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adabe618f089594be386264#block-6adabe618f089594be386264) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 7h ago Closing summary (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515#block-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago Donald Trump has left the building (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14#block-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 'I am, really, on the ballot', Trump says, without offering to resign if Republicans lose the midterms (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd#block-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 'You’ve got to ride with it'. Trump says he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running ad featuring Acton's estranged mother (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaab828f089594be3861e0#block-6adaab828f089594be3861e0) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago Describing cognitive test, Trump recites math problem he claims he solved, but does not provide the answer (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3#block-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago Trump tosses conspiracy theories about Ilhan Omar to Iowa crowd, prompting chants of 'Lock her up!' (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4#block-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago Trump begins Iowa rally in support of Republican candidates with heaps of praise for himself (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f#block-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10h ago As Trump travels to Iowa, Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson denounced Ohio ad he supports (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada93108f089594be38617d#block-6ada93108f089594be38617d) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10h ago Student IDs will not be accepted at New Hampshire polls, Supreme Court rules (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada76bb8f085ebc4ea96345#block-6ada76bb8f085ebc4ea96345) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 06:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 11h ago Trump says 'the press has ganged up on' Amy Acton's estranged mother who stayed with husband charged with raping her daughter (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada71738f08cc7b3d552979#block-6ada71738f08cc7b3d552979) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 04:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 13h ago Trump's DoJ investigating Corey Lewandowski over role as Kristi Noem adviser – reports (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada36c28f089594be385d92#block-6ada36c28f089594be385d92) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 03:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 13h ago State department reportedly asked career officials up for promotions about voting history (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada59098f089594be385fac#block-6ada59098f089594be385fac) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 03:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 14h ago Here's a recap of the day so far (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada5b218f08cc7b3d5528a6#block-6ada5b218f08cc7b3d5528a6) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 03:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 14h ago 'Vivek should keep it up': Trump defends controversial Ramaswamy campaign ad condemned by Republicans (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada50218f08cc7b3d552835#block-6ada50218f08cc7b3d552835) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 02:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 15h ago 'We've got a Senate race to win': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigns with Troy Jackson in Maine (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada47cb8f08cc7b3d5527db#block-6ada47cb8f08cc7b3d5527db) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 01:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 16h ago AG doesn't rule out DoJ weighing in on states' certifying election results in certain scenarios (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada46358f089594be385ec5#block-6ada46358f089594be385ec5) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 01:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 16h ago Maine GOP senator Susan Collins calls for removal of radio ad attacking Democrat Troy Jackson as a 'creep' (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada44e58f089594be385ea7#block-6ada44e58f089594be385ea7) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 01:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 16h ago Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt noncitizen voting investigation in nine states (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada2af68f089594be385cd9#block-6ada2af68f089594be385cd9) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 11:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 18h ago Democrats have 37-point lead over Republicans among likely young voters, new poll finds (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada280f8f089cf0adb555ab#block-6ada280f8f089cf0adb555ab) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 11:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 18h ago Key election forecaster shifts Ohio gubernatorial race in Dems favor after GOP campaign ad controversy (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada1c588f087028f9798152#block-6ada1c588f087028f9798152) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 10:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 19h ago 'Deeply troubling': Republican governor of Ohio calls on Ramaswamy to take down campaign ad featuring Democratic opponent's estranged mother (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada07f28f08ff3e3d9f56a1#block-6ada07f28f08ff3e3d9f56a1) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 20h ago Guardian reporters answer your questions about Trump's mass deportation agenda and the midterms (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9f2d58f08a26c68d9067f#block-6ad9f2d58f08a26c68d9067f) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 22h ago Texas Senate race neck-and-neck as midterms loom (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9e7288f08289f1892649d#block-6ad9e7288f08289f1892649d) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 22h ago Trump praised supporters for punching protesters at rally (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9d32b8f08feceee065bb3#block-6ad9d32b8f08feceee065bb3) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 06:51 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 23h ago Vivek Ramaswamy campaign ad for Ohio ‘shameful, disgusting’, says Republican congresswoman (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adabe618f089594be386264#block-6adabe618f089594be386264) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 7h ago 21.59 EDT Closing summary This concludes our live coverage of the second Trump administration for the day. Here are the latest developments: Donald Trump told supporters in Iowa he had encouraged Vivek Ramaswamy , the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, to keep running an attack ad featuring the mother of his Democratic rival, Dr Amy Acton , who had lost custody of her daughter at age 12 because her husband was charged with raping the young girl. “I said, ‘You’ve got to ride with it’”, the president said. Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson broke with the president by denouncing the attack ad, saying: “I think it’s absolutely terrible, and I think they should take the ad down.” Attorney general Todd Blanche did not rule it out a scenario in which the justice department would try to block states from certifying midterm election results. (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adabe618f089594be386264#block-6adabe618f089594be386264) Share (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515#block-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 21.54 EDT Donald Trump has left the building … or at least the stage, exiting to the live-blogger’s favorite tune, YMCA. The president just wrapped up 90 minutes of remarks, saying very little that he has not said before, but he did devote an extended portion of the speech to defending the attack ad his ally, (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/vivek-ramaswamy) Vivek Ramaswamy , is running in Ohio, to the dismay of many Republicans, including Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson – the person Trump was there to promote. (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515#block-6adabd1c8f085ebc4ea96515) Share (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14#block-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 21.33 EDT 'I am, really, on the ballot', Trump says, without offering to resign if Republicans lose the midterms “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m running… pretend I’m on the ballot,” Donald Trump told supporters in Iowa on Thursday, as he has at each stop on his “midterm blitz”. “Remember, I’m on the ballot,” he said later in the speech. “Because I am on the ballot. Really, it’s our stuff, it’s going to be taken away. If we if we don’t win, it’s going to be taken away. So I am, really, on the ballot.” Of course, if the president really wanted to make the midterms a referendum on himself, he could take a page from the leaders of parliamentary democracies and pledge to resign from office should (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/republicans) Republicans lose the House and Senate, something he has not done. (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14#block-6adab6d98f08cc7b3d552b14) Share (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd#block-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago 21.15 EDT (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#pinned-post) 'You’ve got to ride with it'. Trump says he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running ad featuring Acton's estranged mother Speaking in Iowa on Thursday, Donald Trump told supporters that he had personally encouraged Vivek Ramaswamy , the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, to keep running an attack ad featuring the mother of his Democratic rival, Dr Amy Acton , who had lost custody of her daughter at age 12 because her husband was charged with raping the young girl. “They did an ad of the mother saying the daughter is incompetent, a liar and disgusting unreliable person,” Trump said, adding some claims that were not, in fact, in the ad. “My mom would not say that about me - even if she believed it,” the president added, making light of the testimony of a woman who sided with the man charged with raping her own 12-year-old daughter. “When I first saw it, I said, ‘Wow, that means Vivek easily will win the race’. And then I got a call from Vivek,” Trump said. “He said, ‘What would you recommend? Because I’m getting killed in the press.’ Why? He said, ‘Because they think I should immediately take the ad off.’” “The mother said horrible things about your opponent,” Trump said. “I said, ‘You’ve got to ride with it’”. The president made no mention of the fact that the Republican Senate candidate he was there to support, Ashley Hinson , (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f#block-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f) denounced the ad earlier on Thursday. “I think it’s absolutely terrible, and I think they should take the ad down,” Hinson told ABC News ahead of Trump’s appearance. (Donald Trump shared the stage with congresswoman Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee for Senate, at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday.) (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#img-2) View image in fullscreen Donald Trump shared the stage with congresswoman Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee for Senate, at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd#block-6adaaff48f08cc7b3d552acd) Share Updated at (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 21.40 EDT (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaab828f089594be3861e0#block-6adaab828f089594be3861e0) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago 20.52 EDT Describing cognitive test, Trump recites math problem he claims he solved, but does not provide the answer As he frequently does at campaign rallies, Donald Trump boasted to supporters in Iowa on Thursday that he “aced” what he called “an aptitude test” that is, in fact, a screening for mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. While the test does include a short test of basic mathematical ability, in which patients are asked (https://geriatrictoolkit.missouri.edu/cog/MoCA-8.3-English-Test-2018-04.pdf) to perform serial subtraction by 7 starting at 60 , Trump claimed on Thursday that the mathematical test was much more complicated. “The first question easy. The second question is easy. And by the time you get up to number 30, there are many people that can answer those questions. I’ll tell you,” the president said. “They’ll say like: ‘Take a number, any number’. Say, 49, ‘triple it’, and they go pretty much in this speed, ‘triple it and divide by four; add 2,019; subtract 87; divide by three; multiply by nine. What is the number?’” As supporters shouted out numbers, Trump just asserted that he solved the problem without saying what the answer is. “Not a lot of people are going to be able to do that,” Trump said. “Not a lot. I did it. I did it three times,” the president said. The president has given similarly detailed descriptions of mathematical problems he says were on the test, and claims to have solved, in previous speeches, but never once provided an answer. “These are tough questions, you know,” Trump told elderly supporters at The Villages in Florida in May. “They say, ‘Take a number, any number.’ Okay, I’ll take 99. ‘Multiply times nine.’ Okay. ‘Divide it by three.’ Good. ‘Add 4,293.’ That’s good. ‘Divide by two; subtract 93; divide by nine. What is your answer?’ Now they go a little slower than that, but not much. I don’t want to waste a lot of time, but there aren’t a lot of people that get it right. I got it right.” (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adaab828f089594be3861e0#block-6adaab828f089594be3861e0) Share Updated at (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 09:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 21.45 EDT (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3#block-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago 20.33 EDT Trump tosses conspiracy theories about Ilhan Omar to Iowa crowd, prompting chants of 'Lock her up!' Despite the fact that he is in Iowa, ostensibly to support Republican candidates, Donald Trump quickly turned to attacks on two candidates running in other states, Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, repeating false claims he has made before about two prominent Muslim Americans. Making no effort to conceal the anti-Muslim racism and fear-mongering he has put at the center of his pitch to Republican voters, Trump claimed that El-Sayed is “a jihadist”. He then recited multiple falsehoods about Omar, including the false claims that she married her brother and that she told an interviewer this week that she did not, “as far as I know”, which she did not. (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3#block-6adaa92a8f089594be3861d3) Share (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4#block-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago 20.22 EDT Trump begins Iowa rally in support of Republican candidates with heaps of praise for himself Donald Trump started speaking, about 40 minutes late, to supporters in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday by boasting about how well he had done in the state in his own three runs for office. Unusually, the president acknowledged that his term in office is drawing (slowly) to a close. “You know, we only have a little more than two years left. Can you believe it?” Trump said, before adding: “But I’m going to have a lot of power when I leave.” He then turned to reciting a litany of lies about Josh Turek , the Democrat running against Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson , casting him as a supporter of “taxpayer-funded transgender brutalization surgeries and in favor of men in girls bathrooms.” (President Trump stands on a red carpet before a cheering crowd at a rally) (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#img-3) View image in fullscreen Donald Trump arrives to speak at a midterm election campaign rally at Sioux Gateway Airport in Iowa on 22 October. Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4#block-6adaa6c98f08cc7b3d552aa4) Share Updated at (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 20.24 EDT (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada9dc68f089594be3861a5#block-6ada9dc68f089594be3861a5) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 9h ago 19.58 EDT Uwa Ede-Osifo Lebron James mimed a golf swing and took an imaginary jump shot, as the national anthem was performed during Tuesday’s Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks match-up. His gestures provoked the ire of (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) Donald Trump , who berated him as “no good” and a “TOTAL DISGRACE” on social media. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!” Trump (https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117485480701878421) wrote in a Wednesday Truth Social post. The NBA star and Trump have been at odds for several years. In 2017, Trump rescinded a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors, after Stephen Curry indicated he would not want to go. James famously called Trump a “bum,” saying his presidency took away from the customary honor. The feud appeared to rekindle this summer, when in July, Trump suggested James was a “racist,” without much further explanation, after being asked to compare his career to that of Michael Jordan’s. “I only like people that like me,” Trump said. (LeBron James jogs on court in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey, looking to the side) (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#img-4) View image in fullscreen LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on 22 October. Photograph: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6ada9dc68f089594be3861a5#block-6ada9dc68f089594be3861a5) Share Updated at (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 20.14 EDT (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f#block-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10h ago 19.45 EDT As Trump travels to Iowa, Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson denounced Ohio ad he supports Donald Trump is expected to speak soon at a rally in Sioux City, Iowa in support of Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson , who broke with the president on Thursday by denouncing an attack ad he has supported in the Ohio governor race. As Trump defended the ad, from Republican candidate (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/vivek-ramaswamy) Vivek Ramaswamy , in which the estranged mother of the Democratic candidate, Dr Amy Acton, calls her daughter “a liar”, Hinson joined the bipartisan backlash against the ad triggered by the fact that Acton was removed from her mother’s custody at age 12, after her stepfather was charged with raping her. In (https://x.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2113386862614110496) an interview ahead of today’s rally, Hinson was asked by Jonathan Karl of ABC News about the ad from Ramaswamy’s campaign. “It’s terrible,” Hinson said. “I think about it as a mom, and you think about kid surviving childhood sexual abuse and having to relive that trauma on TV again. I think it’s absolutely terrible, and I think they should take the ad down.” Hinson also called the comment from vice-president JD Vance, that he was disgusted by Republican criticism of the ad, “ridiculous”. “Again, I think it’s wrong and should come down.” Hinson, who currently represents Iowa in the House, is campaigning to replace Republican senator Joni Ernst , who revealed in 2019 that she was (https://www.c-span.org/program/us-senate/senator-ernst-on-sexual-assault/524801) a survivor of sexual assault who had been raped in college. Hinson spoke at the rally on Thursday about 90 minutes before Trump’s schedule arrival time. (Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who is running for the US Senate, spoke well in advance of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday.) (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#img-5) View image in fullscreen Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who is running for the US Senate, spoke well in advance of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f#block-6ada9bcf8f089594be38619f) Share Updated at (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 08:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 20.01 EDT (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada93108f089594be38617d#block-6ada93108f089594be38617d) (Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 07:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10h ago 19.07 EDT Student IDs will not be accepted at New Hampshire polls, Supreme Court rules Uwa Ede-Osifo The US supreme court (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/26pdf/26a512_6j37.pdf) ruled on Thursday that New Hampshire students cannot use their school-issued ID cards as proof of identity to vote, handing a victory to the state’s Republicans. The high court cited a previous ruling, “lower federal courts should ordinarily not alter the election rules on the eve of an election,” in its decision to keep intact an April state law that struck high school and college IDs from a list of acceptable voter documents. House Bill 323, signed by New Hampshire’s Republican governor, Kelly Ayotte , requires government-issued IDs, such as a passport or driver license. The Coalition for Open Democracy, a New Hampshire-based nonprofit, had (https://www.opendemocracynh.org/voting_rights_groups_file_federal_lawsuit_challenging_new_hampshire_voter_suppression_law_targeting_young_voters) sued to block the legislation , arguing that it raised unconstitutional barriers for the state’s young voting bloc. Republican legislators nationwide have embraced stricter voter ID laws, framing them as a safeguard against alleged voter fraud. Voting rights groups have argued that the narrow range of acceptable forms of identification disenfranchises millions of voters. (https://www.brennancenter.org/topics/voting-elections/voting-reform/voter-id) According to the Brennan Center , “more than 49 million American adults don’t possess an unexpired driver’s license with their current name and address. Seniors, people of color, people with disabilities, low-income voters, and students are especially likely to lack such documents.” (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6ada93108f089594be38617d#block-6ada93108f089594be38617d) Share 1 of 4 (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ada76bb8f085ebc4ea96345#liveblog-navigation) Next (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9d32b8f08feceee065bb3#liveblog-navigation) Oldest (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6ad9d32b8f08feceee065bb3#liveblog-navigation) Oldest Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) Donald Trump (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/us-politics-live-with-shrai-popat) US politics live with Shrai Popat (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) US politics (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/republicans) Republicans (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/democrats) Democrats (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) US midterm elections 2026 (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/vivek-ramaswamy) Vivek Ramaswamy (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ohio) Ohio (mailto:?subject=Trump tells Iowa rally crowd he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep running widely criticized campaign ad – as it happened&body=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url) Share (https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2Flive%2F2026%2Foct%2F22%2Fvivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates&type=article&internalpagecode=us-news/live/2026/oct/22/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content Most viewed Most viewed (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) US politics (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) Midterms 2026 (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) Climate crisis (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) Ukraine (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/usimmigration) US immigration (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business (https://www.theguardian.com/us/environment) Environment (https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology) Tech (https://www.theguardian.com/science) Science (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness (https://www.theguardian.com/) News (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings (vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-trump-vance-us-midterm-elections-latest-news-updates.html#top) Back to top © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.(dcr)