California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent defense of Hunter Biden against allegations of nepotism and shady business deals follows emails from Biden’s infamous laptop showing the president’s son donated thousands of dollars to Newsom’s gubernatorial campaign and lent his name to multiple fundraisers on his behalf.

Newsom, who is expected to attend Wednesday’s GOP debate on behalf of the Biden campaign, brushed off allegations of Hunter Biden’s corrupt business dealings last week, saying it is ‘hardly unique’ for people to use their family members to get ahead.

‘I don’t know enough about the details of that. I mean I’ve seen a little of that,’ Newsom told CNN’s Dana Bash when asked if Hunter Biden did anything ‘inappropriate’ leveraging his father’s name in his business dealings. 

‘If that’s the new criteria, there are a lot of folks in a lot of industries – not just in politics – where people have family members and relationships and they’re trying to parlay and get a little influence and benefit in that respect. That’s hardly unique.’

The recent comments from Newsom, who officially agreed to participate in a Fox News debate in November against Gov. Desantis with Sean Hannity moderating, led to a Fox News Digital review of dozens of emails between Hunter and Newsom and his associates discussing matters such as fundraising, promoting documentaries, and personal conversations over the course of nearly a decade.  

In October 2010, Hunter Biden’s business partner Eric Schwerin floated then-San Francisco Mayor Newsom and his sister, Hilary, as ‘usual suspects’ to try to connect with when he’s in California’s Bay Area. About a month later, Schwerin suggested that Newsom, among others, should be invited to a China state dinner. However, it does not appear he attended the dinner.

SEAN HANNITY TO MODERATE GROUNDBREAKING DEBATE BETWEEN GOVERNORS NEWSOM, DESANTIS

Earlier that year, Hunter emailed Newsom’s sister about how much ‘fun’ he had in California over the summer and asked her whether she was ‘interested in White House Easter Egg Roll tickets’ for her and her family.

‘Also, I may be out in the Bay Area at the end of April with my brother, Beau, and it would be great to see you if time permits,’ Hunter added in the email. ‘In fact, as plans firm up I might like to talk to you about some of the things Beau was thinking of doing out there and get some advice from you.’

Newsom’s sister politely declined the invitation to the White House, saying she was ‘invited to join some friends on their boat in St. Lucia – given that we have never been to St. Lucia nor on a boat.’

In a March 2011 email, Schwerin suggested Hunter meet with Gavin Newsom, among others, when he traveled to San Francisco and told him he should be ‘asking any of them to bring together potential other investors in Real Estate.’

On June 11, 2014, a woman who worked with Newsom’s wife on her documentary films reached out to Hunter Biden and told him that she received his contact information from the Lt. Governor’s office and that Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wanted his help strategizing how to get a couple documentary films exposure in Washington, D.C.

‘I’d love to tell you about it and get your advice about gaining visibility for the film in DC, and how the work we’re doing on gender stereotypes, especially healthy masculinity, and might align with the work the Vice President is doing,’ said Jessica Lee, who was the distribution director of The Representation Project. She then asked him to ‘let her know’ what his schedule looks like. 

A little more than 10 days later, on June 23, Lee thanked Hunter for meeting with her and laid out the next steps about how to connect with a contact of Hunter. The email also suggested that they had discussed a White House screening of ‘The Mask You Live In’ documentary film. It is unclear whether there was future communication between Hunter and Lee.

Newsom sent Biden an email two days later with the subject line, ‘Here’s my direct email’ from his personal email address.

In October 2014, Newsom reached out to Biden with words of encouragement following news he was caught with cocaine as a member of the Navy reserves.

‘Like so many other things in life ,this will pass and you will come out of the white water stronger — Gavin,’ Newsom wrote to Biden an email with the subject line of ‘hang in there.’

In April 2015, Hunter responded to an email from lobbyist Eve O’Toole, who Newsom referred to as his ‘best friend and trusted adviser,’ according to a report on a Newsom fundraiser. He told her that he was unable to make it to an event in DC, but that Newsom could ‘count on’ a $5,000 donation from him. It does not appear the donation happened, but it is possible Hunter bundled $5K from his network.

A week later, Hunter referred to Newsom as a ‘good friend’ in an email to lobbyist Mike Manatos requesting that he donate to Newsom’s campaign for governor of California.

‘Hunter, while we can’t afford $1k, I could come with a $500 check, if that would help,’ Hunter’s associated responded. ‘Understand if that would cause a problem, so just let me know.’ 

 It does not appear that Manatos made the donation.

A year later, an email on July 25, 2016 shows that Hunter Biden’s calendar had him scheduled to attend an event supporting Newsom. It appears the reception was part of the reception circuit at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

In a separate email from a week earlier, Hunter replied to an invite for the event from then-San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. In the email, Hunter asked about adding his brother-in-law, Schwerin, and Joan Mayer, who was the vice president of Hunter’s now-defunct investment firm Rosemont Seneca Advisors, along with her husband, on the guest list for Newsom’s reception.

 ‘Wonderful, thank you for letting us know! I have added you all to the guest list,’ Mayor Lee said.

In December 2017, Newsom reached out to Hunter directly and said he heard O’Toole ‘roped’ him into helping co-host a fundraiser in D.C. and told him how ‘grateful’ he was of Hunter’s help. 

‘I wanted to check in now that we are 6 months out from the primary,’ Newsom said. ‘While we have been performing well so far, as the race heats up and we enter the election year, we are pushing incredibly hard to raise the funds we need to invest early in our digital program and voter contact.’

‘If you might be willing to help out before our end of year deadline this weekend, it would be a huge help. Link is here if you can swing it,’ he continued. ‘Hope to see you the next time I am back East.’

Another email from June 27, 2018 shows Hunter Biden telling O’Toole that he owes her ‘big time’ and that his uncle, Jim Biden, will be sending money to the campaign. 

‘I owe you big time- Uncle Jim Biden is going to send 10K immediately- please let me know where to send and how,’ Hunter Biden wrote. ‘And I commit to another 10K asap. Eve, I am so sorry I flaked on last one. Things have been a little hectic. Im living in LA now and would love to help Gavin in anyway possible if he will have me.’

O’Toole exchanged emails with Hunter multiple times, especially for Newsom events in D.C., where she is based, according to her Linkedin profile and firm’s website.

According to campaign finance records, Hunter donated $10,000 to Newsom’s campaign less than a month later. However, it does not appear that Hunter’s Uncle Jim donated the $10K. About a week after the donation, Hunter received an email from Newsom’s finance team with background on meeting filing requirements with the state since he gave $10,000 or more during the calendar year.

Fox News Digital reached out to a Hunter Biden’s lawyer, O’Toole, and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office but did not receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report

The White House issued a fiery statement Tuesday morning blaming congressional Republicans for ‘playing partisan games” as the U.S. government faces a shutdown this weekend. 

‘With less than one week before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing partisan games with peoples’ lives and marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have damaging impacts across the country—including undermining our national security and forcing servicemembers across the country and around the world to work without pay,’ the White House statement read.

It continued: ‘The reason these national security priorities are now at risk: extreme House Republicans’ relentless efforts to slash funding for vital programs rather than work in a bipartisan manner to keep the government open and address emergency needs for the American people.’

The statement comes as President Biden and Republicans in the House, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have failed to negotiate new funding levels or a continuing resolution, which would keep current pandemic-negotiated levels in place as negotiations continue.

In what has become a finger-pointing blame campaign, Biden and the White House are telling the American people and voters the ‘Extreme Republican Shutdown’ would leave servicemembers working without their paychecks until funding becomes available.

‘Hundreds of thousands of their civilian colleagues in the Department of Defense would also be furloughed, affecting the ways in which the Department manages its affairs globally, including the vital task of recruiting new members of the military. All of this would prove disruptive to our national security,’ the White House release said.

In previous shutdowns, any new agreement includes backpay to appropriately compensate the servicemembers for any missed payments.

The White House’s latest statement failed to mention any specifics of the ongoing negotiations.

Several Republicans in the House have argued for the government to return to pre-pandemic funding — effectively rolling back the tremendous budget the government was granted in a time of national emergency.

A number of GOP members have opposed a continuing resolution or any McCarthy-initiated proposal.

Any solution would require a majority vote in the House and the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. McCarthy could also yield negotiations to the Senate, which could deliver a bill that he could then say the House must accept.

It then has to be signed into law by Biden.

The government will officially shut down when current funding levels expire at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on September 30.

–>

A Democrat congressman in Minnesota says he is open to challenging President Biden for his party’s presidential nomination.

‘I am thinking about it,’ Rep. Dean Phillips told ‘The Warning’ podcast on Friday in an episode that was released on Monday. ‘I haven’t ruled it out.’

‘I think there are people who are more  proximate, better prepared to campaign with national organizations, national name recognition, which I do not possess,’ Phillips added. ‘I’m concerned that there is no alternative.’

Phillips said it is ‘important for democracy to have choices, to have competition, particularly in light of what I’m reading — the polling, the data — and what I’m sensing in my own intuition, and I’m concerned.’

In August, Phillips urged his Democrat colleagues to jump into the race and told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ that he ‘adores’ Biden but wants him to ‘pass the torch’ to new leaders.

‘I would like to see a moderate governor, hopefully from the heartland, from one of the four states that Democrats will need,’ he said.

He continued, ‘Anybody who wants to run, Joe Manchin, Cornel West … that’s why we have primaries because that doesn’t undermine the likelihood of returning, in this case, a Democrat to the White House. I’m actively inviting, encouraging to some degree, imploring that people who are ready and know it’s probably time to do so take the chance.’

The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Biden, who will turn 81 in November, has increasingly faced questions from both sides of the aisle about his age leading up to the 2024 presidential cycle.

Phillips said on the podcast that he is ‘concerned that something could happen between now and next November that would make the Democratic Convention in Chicago an unmitigated disaster.’

‘And for a party that is acting as the adults in the room, thank goodness, I’m concerned that we are not as it relates to our electoral strategy,’ Phillips added. ‘So, I’m considering it.’

‘I do still think there’s some time for somebody to enter. I’m still encouraging others who I think are better prepared right now to run a great campaign,’ he said.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., called the GOP House-led impeachment inquiry into President Biden a ‘continuation of the [Jan. 6] insurrection’ during an interview Sunday.

‘Many of [Kevin] McCarthy’s folks go to the January 6 prisoners and visit them to give them comfort and aid, and so they’ve never accepted President Biden as a legitimate president,’ Swalwell said to MSNBC host Jen Psaki. ‘And this week, even as we are hurtling toward a shutdown, they’ll hold impeachment proceedings, which is just a continuation of the insurrection — and so this is all about just putting Donald Trump in charge.’

Psaki asked Swalwell — who sat on the Jan. 6 House committee — what he thinks of former PresidentTrump’s purported role in the House’s decisions. The Democrat congressman said, ‘Donald Trump and McCarthy and the other pro-insurrection Republicans have never accepted Joe Biden as the president.’

‘The House, unfortunately, has become a law firm with just one client, Donald Trump,’ he said.

The House is probing Biden’s foreign business ties with his son, Hunter, in Ukraine and China. Republicans hope to unearth bribery negotiations that suggest Biden leveraged his position as then-vice president under former President Obama for personal gain.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., will lead the inquiry alongside House Oversight Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo.

House Republicans, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will hold their first impeachment inquiry hearing to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power against President Biden on Thursday.

‘Kevin McCarthy is a spectator speaker. He may have the title, but Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, they all share the job,’ Swalwell said.

Swalwell’s comments come as time is ticking in the House to reach a spending deal before funds run out from the previous fiscal year and the government shuts down on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ he would ‘look strongly at’ ousting McCarthy from speakership if he doesn’t pass the 12 appropriation bills needed to fund the government.

‘They’re all talking about this promise that he made with Biden a year ago — what about the promise we made to the American public that we were going to be responsible Americans?’ Burchett asked CNN host Dana Bash.

FIRST ON FOX: GOP lawmakers sent a letter to national security adviser Jake Sullivan Monday urging him to provide more precise numbers regarding aid to Ukraine.

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, along with Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said the letter – first obtained by Fox News Digital – comes following a White House briefing last week when Sullivan stated that the Biden administration had sent around $79.9 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war started in February 2022.

However, a week earlier, the White House Office of Management and Budget gave Vance’s office a chart showing at least $101 billion spent, with plans for additional spending.

The group of lawmakers – who have been vocal critics of aid to Ukraine – want the $31.1 billion discrepancy between his statement and OMB’s data cleared up.

‘We write to provide you the opportunity to clarify your remarks and communicate clearly the total budgetary resources across all government departments provided for the war in Ukraine and ‘in countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine,’ as well as any other expenditures made by the U.S. taxpayer in connection to the conflict,’ they wrote.

The letter also seeks clarification on funding sources, possible reprogrammings from base funds that increased the overall expenditure, and the inclusion of additional funds found in the Pentagon’s coffers.

Lawmakers also cited a news report which found that if the government shuts down, funding for weapon shipments to Ukraine from the Department of Defense’s stockpiles would continue, with $6.2 billion in aid available. This amount, not included in the OMB spreadsheet, further complicates the total figure of assistance provided, they said.

‘The administration stated on August 10 that ‘[p]revious supplemental appropriations for direct military aid, economic and humanitarian assistance, and other support have been committed or nearly committed,’ yet somehow there are more funds available for the war in Ukraine,’ the letter stated.

In May, the Pentagon overvalued the amount of ammunition, missiles and other military equipment it sent to Ukraine by an estimated $3 billion. Since then, a chorus of mostly GOP lawmakers have called for oversight on funds sent to the eastern European country.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Sullivan for comment.

GOP presidential hopefuls have a lot riding on the second debate of the 2024 nominating cycle — but some have more to prove than others.

Thanks to her well-regarded performance at the first Republican presidential nomination debate, expect plenty of attention on Nikki Haley at this week’s second GOP primary showdown.

‘I’ll continue to be myself. I’ll continue to say what I think,’ the former South Carolina governor, who later served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said in a recent Fox News Digital interview.

For Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who was far from the loudest voice at last month’s debate, Wednesday’s showdown at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, could be an opportunity to paint contrasts with his rivals for the nomination.

‘Having an opportunity to talk about where we’re different, I think it’s important for the audience, frankly, at home to understand that there are real differences between the candidates on the stage, and we should have an opportunity to discuss those differences,’ Scott told Fox News Digital last week.

The debate will be televised on the FOX Business Network (FBN) and Univision from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

FIRST ON FOX: RNC THREATENS TO PULL NEW HAMPSHIRE DEBATE IF STATE LEAPFROGS IOWA IN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CALENDAR

Longtime Republican consultant David Kochel said the debate gives the candidates a second chance.

‘You’ve got to fix what was wrong in the first debate, or you’ve got to maintain the momentum that built from it,’ noted Kochel, a veteran of numerous GOP presidential campaigns.

So far, according to a Fox News count, seven of the eight candidates who took part in last month’s first GOP presidential nomination debate have already reached the Republican National Committee’s polling and donor criteria to make the stage.

They are, in alphabetical order, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, biotech entrepreneur and political commentator Vivek Ramaswamy, and Tim Scott

Former President Donald Trump, who has reached the donor and polling thresholds, did not sign the RNC’s pledge in which they agree to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee. Pointing to his commanding lead over his rivals for the nomination, Trump did not attend the first debate and is not showing up for the second showdown.

Dave Carney, a longtime Republican strategist with decades of presidential campaign experience, said that candidates who ‘have a breakout night’ at the second debate ‘can put some of their rivals to sleep and can start formulating themselves as the alternative to Trump.’

But he warned that ‘If it doesn’t go well, you can pack up your bags and go home and spend more time with your family.’

Here’s a look at what’s on the line for the candidates on the stage Wednesday night.

Ron DeSantis

Carney, pointing to the Florida governor’s slide in the recent polls in the early voting states, said that ‘this is his opportunity to save his campaign or end his campaign.’

‘He has the most riding on this,’ Carney said.

Kochel suggested that DeSantis ‘needs to broaden the appeal.’ And he argued that ‘you’ve already got a Trump imitator on the stage – Vivek Ramaswamy.’

Pointing to the governor’s landslide gubernatorial reelection victory last November, Kochel said, ‘DeSantis needs to draw a distinction between himself and Trump.’

Nikki Haley

Pointing to Haley’s upward movement in the polls since the first debate, Carney said that ‘she has a lot riding on this.’

Kochel said ‘the question now is what do you do with that momentum? Is it a flash in the pan or can you repeat that performance and have an upward trajectory in the race?’

‘People got to see that she’s a pretty talented and effective communicator, and I would just double down,’ he said. ‘My guess is she’s going to get a little more attention [on] this one. Some of the candidates may want to go at her in this debate.’

Tim Scott

Carney said ‘this debate’s important for him. He was sort of quiet and disappeared during the first debate. … He needs to be a little bit more aggressive.’

Kochel suggested that ‘there’s going to be a lot of pressure on someone like Tim Scott, who disappeared a bit in the first debate, to step up and do better.’

Mike Pence

Carney pointed out that the former vice president ‘was very aggressive — probably the most out-of-character aggressive — at the first debate. I think you’ll see more of that at the Reagan Library.’

Pence, who gave a high-profile speech this month in which he criticized Trump and some of his other rivals for the nomination for walking away from core conservative values as he took aim at the wave of populism in the GOP, may reiterate his theme at Wednesday’s debate.

‘Being at the Reagan Library really gives him an opportunity to pivot off ‘Lets get back to Reagan-like ideas,” Carney said.

And Kochel noted that ‘if I were him, I would be touting myself as the Reagan conservative in the traditional sense and take off after populism.’

‘He’s making a bet here. It doesn’t appear to be paying off, but at this point, you’ve got to be who you are. That speech he gave will find a way into a lot of his responses,’ Kochel said.

Vivek Ramaswamy

The multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur, political commentator and culture wars crusader is probably the biggest surprise to date in the GOP nomination race as his poll numbers continue to rise.

Ramaswamy faced plenty of incoming fire at the first debate, and since his support continues to grow, expect more attacks coming his way at the second showdown.

Carney said the first-time candidate has ‘got to prove that he can be presidential and serve as president of the United States.’

‘His biggest role right now is to make sure that no one becomes the massive heir apparent to Trump. It’s an interesting role he’s playing,’ Carney added.

Chris Christie

The former two-term New Jersey governor and vocal GOP Trump critic is making is second run for the Republican nomination.

Carney predicted that Christie will ‘once again use Trump as his foil … you can tell, he loves the fight. He loves the engagement with voters. He relishes the interactions with the media. He has a lot of compelling parts for being a president, but his limited focus I think hurts him.’

Kochel said Christie’s ‘an effective communicator, but I don’t think there’s a market for what he’s selling right now.’

Pointing to Trump’s absence from the debate stage, Kochel said Christie ‘wanted to be in these debates so [that] he could get a shot at Trump, and he’s not going to get it.’

‘My guess is he’ll probably throw more haymakers at Ramaswamy because he’s [the] most Trump-like person on the stage,’ Kochel added. ‘He wants to throw these punches, and there’s nobody to hit.’

DOUG BURGUM

Burgum, the least well-known of the contenders on the stage, will likely once again be standing on the wings of the debate stage.

‘It’s hard when you’re going to get the least amount of questions and the least amount of time,’ Carney said.

He emphasized that the North Dakota governor needs to find a way to stand out: ‘That’s his mission. He needs to get people to get interested in him.’

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

FIRST ON FOX: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Republican presidential campaign is explaining the former CEO’s ‘awakening’ on the threat China poses to the United States, following scrutiny for his former company’s partnership with a Chinese Communist Party-backed company just a few years ago.

Ramaswamy has repeatedly expressed his support for banning American companies from expanding into China. Just Thursday, he unveiled his plan to ‘decouple’ from China in a speech in his home state of Ohio.

‘Unless you stop turning our companies into lobbying pawns, unless you actually play by the same set of rules abiding by the same standards we agreed to, then we’re cutting the cord,’ he said. ‘You will not buy land in this country. You will not donate to universities in this country. You will not turn companies into your Trojan horses. Our companies will not expand into your Chinese market.’

Ramaswamy, who has described China as the ‘greatest external threat to America,’ issued the same sentiment during an interview with Fox News in June, saying he supports banning companies from doing business in China.

‘I would ban most U.S. businesses from doing business in China unless and until the CCP reforms its behaviors,’ he said. ‘I’m talking about actual real measures: no data theft, no intellectual property theft, no more turning our own companies into your geopolitical pawns to do you bidding using lobbying conditions as a basis for giving access.’

Ramaswamy, however, was eager to do business with China just five years ago. On July 17, 2018, his company, Roivant Sciences, announced it was partnering with CITIC PE, the private equity arm of the China state-owned investment company CITIC Group Corp., to create the China-based firm Sinovant Sciences.

Sinovant’s website, which has since been deleted, said it was committed to ‘advancing Chinese biopharmaceutical innovation globally,’ according to internet archives by the Wayback Machine.

Ramaswamy campaign communications director Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that the Roivant founder’s views on China have changed due to his experiences with the company and that a Sinovant-like launch would not be allowed under his presidency.

‘No, it would not have been able to launch,’ McLaughlin said. ‘Our country is at a precipice. We cannot depend on an enemy for our modern way of life.’

‘Today, Vivek unveiled exactly how we will sensibly decouple from Communist China: onshore critical supply chains to the U.S. while expanding trade with our closest allies,’ she continued. ‘China exploited the bipartisan U.S. consensus around ‘democratic capitalism’ to achieve parity & co-dependence with the U.S. over the last 30 years, but now is the moment to fix it and regain American sovereignty.’

‘Vivek is the only candidate in either party to lay out a specific plan to diversify away from the Chinese-driven pharmaceutical supply chain through improved domestic onshoring and stronger trade relationships with Israel, India, and other countries will help reduce dependence on China,’ she added.

Sinovant launched in 2018 with a pipeline of 11 investigational biopharmaceutical products for Greater China and other Asian markets, including four therapies suitable for phase III clinical trial application or registration in China, including derazantinib, lefamulin, RVT-802 and naronapride, according to a press release.

Sinovant’s launch came the same year that Ramaswamy spoke at a pharmaceutical conference in Shanghai. Ramaswamy’s campaign told the Wall Street Journal last month that it did not have a transcript or video of the speech.

On April 4, 2019, Roivant and Sinovant announced they were launching Cytovant Sciences to partner with Germany-based MediGene AG to develop immunotherapies in China, South Korea and Japan.

Sinovant’s website went offline sometime after Dec. 2, 2021, when the website was last archived by Wayback. 

Ramaswamy stepped down from Roivant on Feb. 20, 2023, to run for president.

‘Vivek’s views are a product of his experiences,’ McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. ‘We need leaders who understand complex issues deeply in order to address them, and Vivek believes in learning from experiences.’

‘There’s a reason why Vivek was the only prominent CEO who publicly called out the Chinese risks,’ she said. ‘There’s a reason why Vivek is the only candidate to offer a vision for declaring independence from our chief adversary. We hope other candidates and private sector leaders will soon follow suit as they have done on other issues.’

McLaughlin said Roivant ‘eventually wound down its operation’ in China ‘as the risks of doing business in China became apparent.’

A Roivant spokesperson told The New Republic in February that Ramaswamy was CEO when the companies were formed but ‘stepped down as CEO prior to us winding them down.’

The spokesperson said Sinovant and Cytovant are no longer operating companies but still exist for legal purposes and that neither company generated any sales or profits.

Roivant declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.