Vivek Ramaswamy promises to return the pledge of allegiance to school classrooms

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy criticized an elected official who said he wouldn’t pledge allegiance to the United States and promised to ensure that all students in Ohio schools would be required to pledge allegiance.

In a video posted by Off the Press, Paul Isherwood, an Athens City councilman who became a U.S. citizen only several years ago, claimed that even though he is very proud to be an American citizen, he refused to pledge allegiance. He cited the “strange and varied” history of the pledge, claiming that the original version of The Pledge of Allegiance did not include any reference to religion until an “anti-immigrant sentiment” allegedly became prevalent in the 1950s.

🚨WATCH: An Ohio councilman who recently became a U.S. citizen opposes saying the Pledge of Allegiance at meetings, claiming it was shaped by "anti-immigrant sentiment."

Athens City Councilman Paul Isherwood, who gained his citizenship only a few years ago, called the history of… pic.twitter.com/iKAfHyMRVV

— Off The Press (@OffThePress1) January 14, 2026

“We’ll say the pledge of allegiance every day at every public school after I’m elected. And no, there’s nothing ‘anti-immigrant’ about it. We need more national unity, not less,” Ramaswamy wrote on X in response.

We’ll say the pledge of allegiance every day at every public school after I’m elected. And no, there’s nothing “anti-immigrant” about it. We need more national unity, not less. https://t.co/RPUmesYm8D

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 14, 2026

In 2025, Ramaswamy also suggested to “bring back the Pledge of Allegiance & the national anthem in the classroom – daily.”

According to state law directly related to the Pledge of Allegiance, “the policy adopted under this division, and a teacher who includes recitation of the pledge in the classroom, shall not require any student to participate in the recitation and shall prohibit the intimidation of any student by other students or staff aimed at coercing participation.”

State Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania-Twp., also criticized Isherwood, saying that a person who can’t pledge allegiance to the United States “shouldn’t be holding elected office in America.”

“I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of HB-117, which will require a daily Pledge of Allegiance in Ohio public schools– whether this councilman thinks it’s ‘strange’ or not,” he wrote on X.

If you can't pledge allegiance to America, you shouldn't be holding elected office in America.

I'm proud to be a co-sponsor of HB-117, which will require a daily Pledge of Allegiance in Ohio public schools– whether this councilman thinks it's "strange" or not. https://t.co/MJncElFLXd

— Rep. Josh Williams (@JoshWilliamsOH) January 15, 2026

Meheek Cooke, an Ohio lawyer who recently became famous for trying to uncover daycare fraud in the Buckeye State, agreed with Williams.

“Immigrants pledge loyalty to join America and don’t get to reject it once they grab power,” she wrote. “If you can’t pledge allegiance to America, get out.”

🚨 Hey Ohio!

Athens City Councilman Isherwood swore allegiance to America to become a U.S. citizen—now he refuses to say the Pledge.

Immigrants pledge loyalty to join America and don’t get to reject it once they grab power.

If you can’t pledge allegiance to America, get out. https://t.co/7mV06tZVzb

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) January 15, 2026

Other prominent Republicans, including President Donald Trump’s adviser Stephen Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, and Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet, criticized Isherwood for his recent remarks, going as far as suggesting that he should be denaturalized and deported from the United States.

Last month, Trump encouraged “every American to rededicate themselves to our Flag, our heritage, and the eternal principles that have guided our Republic for nearly 250 years.”