Ramaswamy Walks Back H-1B Support, Frames Education as the Priority in Pod Force One Interview

Vivek Ramaswamy walked back his past support for foreign worker visas on the latest episode of Pod Force One, saying the controversy is irrelevant compared with what he described as a deeper failure in education that the United States must address. The Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate told The Post’s Miranda Devine that he was not afraid to start a difficult conversation about how the country educates its students as it competes for high-skilled jobs abroad.

Ramaswamy, who has positioned himself as a leading voice for Republicans in the Buckeye State, recounted a public clash with MAGA allies over the H-1B visa program last year. The program allows highly skilled foreign workers to enter the United States if employers sponsor them. He said the disagreement highlighted broader battles within the party and stressed that his current focus remains on American educational outcomes. He described the H-1B debate as a distraction from what he argued is the country’s fundamental educational deficiency.

Asked about H-1Bs, Ramaswamy sidestepped the controversy and instead framed the issue within a larger national imperative: if the United States wants to lead in future industries, it must raise its educational standards. “A big part of that failure is the fact that our education system has fallen behind,” he said. “It’s a moral failure.” He added that he wants a system where students born and raised in Ohio can reach their full potential as workers who are empowered by a modern economy.

The interview touched on the broader political environment inside the Republican coalition, including remarks about unity on the right against what he characterized as cultural trends that undermine excellence. He argued that the left’s rejection of excellence and American unity is driving the country away from its competitive edge, a theme he has pursued in other writings and campaigns.

Ramaswamy outlined a vision for curricular reforms, arguing that the United States should consider adopting advanced math standards used in Singapore. He said such standards have yielded strong results in Singapore and can serve as a model, though he cautioned that improvements depend heavily on family and community support as well as policy choices. “If you adopt Singapore math here, you do see improvements in academic standards, but not to the full extent that you see in Singapore,” he said. “A lot of this is also something that’s got to start with the family. It’s not, ‘the government’s going to fix everything.’” He described the proposed reforms as part of a broader effort to elevate the country’s educational performance without surrendering to the inertia he sees in the status quo.

In describing the educational mission, Ramaswamy invoked a phrase about rising to national challenges: “I think we’re in need of a modern Apollo mission.” He argued that lifting educational achievement would fuel the country’s economic leadership and prevent a slide on the world stage. He warned that if the United States remains four years behind China and five years behind Singapore in math and other core metrics for another two decades, America’s distinctive advantages could erode irreparably unless reforms take hold.

The interview also touched on political timing and momentum. Ramaswamy is currently the Republican frontrunner in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, with polls showing a double-digit lead in the RealClearPolitics average. He framed his education-focused approach as a contrast to other policy debates that have roiled the party, including disputes over immigration and the role of government in economic and social issues.

Trump’s policy move last week adding a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B applicant provided additional context for the H-1B discussion. While Trump’s administration has signaled tighter controls on skilled visas, Ramaswamy’s current stance emphasizes the systemic problem of education as the root cause of perceived competitive decline and urges American families to take a central role in reform efforts.

As he outlines his plan for Ohio, Ramaswamy stresses that the solution is not solely about policy mandates from high-level decisions in Washington, but about nurturing a generation of students who can compete at the highest levels in science, technology, engineering, and math. He reiterates that a robust education system will better prepare students to participate in a modern economy and, he argues, will help the United States sustain its leadership role in key sectors of the global economy.

[IMAGE 2]

The conversation coincides with a broader reckoning within conservative circles about how best to balance vociferous advocacy for policy shifts with longer-term investments in education and workforce development. Ramaswamy’s emphasis on curricular modernization, family involvement, and the moral imperative to improve national educational outcomes reflects a recurring theme in his campaign messaging as he seeks to translate early gains in name recognition into measurable political traction in Ohio.

In sum, the Pod Force One interview showcased a reoriented emphasis from a contentious visa policy to a forward-looking education agenda, paired with a call for American families to actively participate in shaping their children’s academic trajectories. The remarks also illustrate how the candidate is navigating intra-party tensions around immigration and national competitiveness as he positions himself for high-stakes state and national contests.

[IMAGE 4]