Ramaswamy's campaign CEO, Ben Yoho, said in an interview with ABC News that they hope to reach their first thousand applications for the program on Monday after receiving around 300 applications within the first several hours of the launch.
The announcement drew some negative reactions on social media, with users likening the "kitchen cabinet" to a multi-level marketing scheme, in which participants receive a commission for recruiting others. Republican presidential candidate businessman Vivek Ramaswamy speaks to guests during the Joni Ernst's Roast and Ride event, June 3, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.Campaign finance attorney and former Democratic National Committee Chief Counsel Joe Birkenstock said that while the concept of commission-based fundraising is not entirely new, he has not seen anyone execute it before involving their supporters.