Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is suing the World Economic Forum, claiming the Swiss-based organization falsely portrayed him as one of its “young global leaders” and refused to take his name off its website for two years.
Ramaswamy, 37, the son of immigrants from India who says he is worth $500 million, does not want to be associated with the WEF’s “progressive” and “radical” policies and positions, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in a Cincinnati, Ohio, court.
Major political figures as varied as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have been “Young Global Leaders” (YGLs) under the aegis of the WEF.
But Ramaswamy is among many conservatives and others who think the WEF, which holds a splashy conference every year in the Swiss alpine town of Davos, is run by elites who are orchestrating what the WEF literally calls a “new world order.”
“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 Post.
“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.”
The WEF was established in 1971 by German mechanical engineer Klaus Schwab, 85.
Schwab, who is bald and has a thick German accent, is often referenced cartoonishly by critics who see him as a James Bond villain who wants to take over the world.
Last year, Schwab was slammed for appearing to boast about how he has “penetrated the cabinets” of many countries, singling out Canada and Argentina among many.
His detractors claim he has warned people that they may have next to nothing in the future, will eat bugs and they “will be happy.”
Ramaswamy, a former biotech entrepreneur who also co-founded Strive, an asset management firm, said he was “appalled” when he discovered that the WEF had listed him as a Young Global Leader in 2021 along with people like anti-racism activist and author Ibram X. Kendi.
The WEF describes the YGLs as a “community made up of more than 1,300 members and alumni, including public officials, business innovators, artists, educators, technology developers, journalists and activists.”
Its mission “is to create a dynamic global community of exceptional people with the vision, courage and influence to drive positive change in the world.”
He said he expressly told the WEF he did not want to join them and told them not to use his name and likeness. But he said the WEF did so anyway and he hounded them for two years to delete him and his photo from the site. They finally took him off the site in January, but he remains on the list of 2021 Young Global Leaders in some articles on the WEF site.
Ramaswamy accuses the WEF in the lawsuit of both burnishing its image by having someone like him on board — and tarnishing his own brand and reputation in the process.
“The World Economic Forum’s unwanted appropriation of Mr. Ramaswamy’s persona has created the illusion of affiliation,” the lawsuit says. “…It takes the adage, ‘Keep your friends close, your enemies closer’ to heart.
“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.”
Indeed, journalist Jordan Schachtel wrote a story in February titled “Vetting Vivek Ramaswamy” in which he pointed out some of Ramaswamy’s seeming inconsistencies, starting with the Young Global Leader controversy
Schachtel also said Ramaswamy is known for his tough talk on China but has also had substantial ties to China over the years, both launching companies there and forming partnerships with Chinese firms.
He also called Ramaswamy out for possible ties to George Soros since Ramaswamy was a “Soros Fellow” in 2011.
Ramaswamy told The Post that the reason he talks tough on China recently is because of all he learned while working in the country. He said he vowed on his first day with Strive that the firm would not invest in China.
He also said his fellowship was from the Soros relatives Paul and Daisy Soros, and only enabled him to study at Yale Law School. He added that he was “only 25” and had zero contact with George Soros.
The lawsuit is seeking only nominal damages of $2,500.
“It’s a shot across the bow,” Ramaswamy said. “They should be held accountable for what they did.”
The WEF emailed The Post a response after this story was published:
“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. Mr. Ramaswamy declined to be nominated and was therefore never an active member of the YGL community.”
