Trump doubles down on Amy Acton criticism as Ramaswamy ad controversy swirls
President Donald Trump on Friday continued to defend a highly controversial ad from Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy featuring his Democratic opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother -- who Acton says stood by the man who was criminally charged with sexually abusing her as a child.
As he left the White House Friday morning, Trump repeatedly dismissed questions from reporters about the specific allegations of Acton's sexual abuse, asserting at multiple points that the ad has "nothing to do" with Acton's stepfather, who was criminally charged and pleaded not guilty.
Her stepfather, who died in 2004, fled the state with her mother before trial and never appeared before a judge, according to court records and an interview given by Acton's mother.
"It's a mother speaking badly against Amy Acton. And, to me, it's very easy," Trump said when asked about the ad, which features Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, saying that her daughter has lied about her past and her struggles growing up.
Acton has been public about her experience with abuse and openly spoken about her tumultuous relationship with her mother, whom she says she has not spoken to since she was 12 years old. Acton alleged her mother's second husband molested her between the ages of 9 and 12.
Pressed on the fact that Acton has been estranged from her mother for decades, Trump said he did not care and insisted that the ad was fair game.
“I don't care,” Trump said. “If it were my mother speaking badly about me, you'd be making it the number one story on the news."
Trump also referred to Acton’s mother as a "smart woman" and said that he did not "know anything about" the stepfather.
“This has nothing to do with a stepfather or anything else," Trump said. "This has to do with the fact that a woman got out, the mother of a person running for governor of one of the greatest states, where I set records and said that she's a liar."
Trump defended the ad on Thursday afternoon as well, writing on social media that the ad was "powerful" and that he himself would run such an ad.
Several key Republicans have blasted the ad with Ohio's Republican Gov. Mike DeWine saying on Thursday that the ad is "deeply, deeply troubling" and that Ramaswamy's campaign should cease airing it.
Iowa Republican Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson also condemned the ad and said to ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl that "they should take the ad down" -- just hours before she shared the stage with Trump at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa, Thursday night.
Trump spoke about the ad during the rally, saying that he advised Ramaswamy to "ride with it."
“When I first saw it, I said, ‘Wow, that means Vivek easily will win the race,’” Trump recalled of the controversial ad, later adding "I said, 'you got to ride with it.'"
Acton has criticized the ad, calling it "horrible and hideous" during a campaign event on Wednesday, adding that the ad is "despicable" and "an exploitative thing to do."
Ramaswamy addressed the ad during a rally on Friday, saying it "had nothing to do with childhood abuse," according to audio provided by Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS.
ABC News' Diana Paulsen and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
