His claim that ‘heritage Americans’ have a greater claim to the country is at odds with every principle it was founded on

US vice-president JD Vance. Photo: Reuters

What does it mean to be an American? That question lies at the heart of a debate between Vivek Ramaswamy and US vice president JD Vance that will help determine the future of the Republican Party. The run-up to the country’s 250th anniversary is the perfect time to hold the debate, but it also presents an enormous problem for Vance: The Founders were on Ramaswamy’s side.

In a recent speech and op-ed, Ramaswamy, who is running for governor of Ohio, argued that American identity centres on shared ideals, particularly freedom and meritocracy. He took direct aim at Nick Fuentes and other far-right “Groypers”, the xenophobic and antisemitic faction within the Republican Party, and urged his fellow party members to condemn their hatred and intolerance, rather than indulge it.