Jimmy Kimmel Jokes About Vivek Ramaswamy Kissing Up to Donald Trump After Dropping Out of GOP Primary

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel took the opportunity to troll Vivek Ramaswamy during his show on Tuesday, January 16, for kissing up to former President Donald Trump after dropping out of the Republican primary.

“We did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to deliver tonight ... as of this moment, we are going to suspend this presidential campaign,” Ramaswamy told his supporters, dropping out of the race.

“There’s no path for me to be the next president absent things that we don’t want to see happen in this country,” he added. “As I’ve said since the beginning, there are two America First candidates in this race, and I called Donald Trump to tell him that."

"I congratulated him on his victory, and now, going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency, and I think we’re gonna do the right thing for this country,” the former presidential hopeful continued.

Trump won 51 percent of the vote in Iowa, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis secured second place at 21.2 percent. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley got a close third place with 19.1 pecent, while Ramaswamy only garnered 7 percent of the Iowa electorate.

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“Even though he was running against Trump, he never missed an opportunity to plant one on his big orange a--,” Kimmel told his audience during his opening monologue.

“And that call went straight to voicemail,” Kimmel joked. “He’s never going to hook up with you, dude. It’s just not gonna happen.”

The ABC host also took the opportunity to troll Ramaswamy for his performance in Iowa for coming behind both Haley and DeSantis.

“It wasn’t for a lack of trying,” Kimmel continued. “He spent a lot of time in Iowa, and before voting began yesterday, he went on Twitter to remind voters how much is at stake. As Iowans got ready to vote in the caucus, he wrote: ‘There are two genders. And no, a man cannot become a woman.’”

“What is that, note to self?” Kimmel wondered before adding that “neither of them voted for him.”

As OK! previously reported, Ramaswamy had an awkward moment with Trump after he officially endorsed the former president during a New Hampshire rally.

The primary dropout tried to give his former rival a handshake. At the same time, Trump went for a hug, leading the two to awkwardly embrace one another — all while Ramaswamy appeared to brush his hand on the former president's face.

Trump referred to his former opponent as a "fantastic guy" and claimed that he did a "great job" on the campaign trail.