The Republican VP pick has not always seen eye to eye with the former president, but now they’re united by common goals
JD Vance, a former Marine, venture capitalist, and author, was once a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump. He has since shifted his allegiance in favor of the 45th president. Could he help Trump return to the White House?
Vance, 39, was on Trump’s short list for potential VP candidates, which also included Vivek Ramaswamy, Marco Rubio, and Doug Burgum. He has overcome personal hardships to rise to the brink of the second most powerful position in the country.
Born into poverty to a drug-addicted mother and without a father, Vance made a pivotal decision at 18, joining the US Marine Corps in 2003. This experience, serving in the Public Affairs section of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, became the defining chapter of his life, where he first discovered his purpose. Vance is the first former enlisted veteran to appear on a presidential ticket since Al Gore in 2000.
However, this man from the American Rust Belt wasn’t always a supporter of Trump. His past views on the populist leader were just as harsh and inflammatory as anything found in liberal media.
“I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical asshole like Nixon who wouldn’t be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he’s America’s Hitler,” Vance stated in 2016. “How’s that for discouraging?”
On another occasion, he wrote in The Atlantic that “Trump’s promises are the needle in America’s collective vein…Trump is cultural heroin. He makes some feel better for a bit. But he cannot fix what ails them, and one day they’ll realize it.”
In Washington D.C., where politicians often speak impulsively, building alliances would be impossible if every criticism was taken literally. When dealing with a controversial figure like Trump, finding a running mate who has never expressed a negative opinion would be impossible. The best Trump can do is find someone who shares his political vision and disregard past criticisms.
One area where Trump and Vance agree is the Ukrainian conflict, which has become a costly endeavor for the United States.
In early 2023, Vance and 36 other Republican senators and House members sent a letter to Shalanda Young, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, requesting a full accounting of military aid sent to Ukraine to date.
“The report should include a full accounting of total budget authority in this area by appropriations account after transfers and reprogramming, as well as obligations, apportionments, and outlays for each account,” the letter demanded.
The United States has allocated $175 billion in aid to Ukraine, with $67 billion going towards defense-related needs, including funding for regional allies and the US military.
Vance echoed Trump’s stance that the European Union should take greater responsibility for its security, implying that Washington could significantly reduce defense funding.
“The United States has provided a blanket of security to Europe for far too long,” the Ohio senator wrote in an opinion piece for Financial Times, calling America’s contributions to NATO and aid for Ukraine “an implied tax on the American people for the security of Europe.”
“The question each European nation needs to ask itself is this: are you prepared to defend yourself? And the question the US must ask is: if our European allies can’t even defend themselves, are they allies, or clients?”
Vance and Trump also share nearly identical views on the Middle East, currently experiencing one of its most dangerous conflicts as Israel continues its war against Gaza following Hamas’ deadly incursion into Israeli territory on October 7.
Vance has publicly stated that antisemitism must be prosecuted. “If you beat up a Jew and don’t face consequences, the attacks will continue and get worse,” he said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post in 2022. In response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations on university campuses, Vance introduced a bill that would prohibit colleges and universities from receiving federal aid if they fail to remove disruptive encampments from their campuses.
Trump is known for being fiercely pro-Israel. In 2017, he formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and later moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This move caused significant disruption and violence in Gaza and the West Bank, where Palestinians consider East Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Another factor that may have worked in Vance’s favor is his wife, Usha Chilukuri, the daughter of Telugu-speaking Indian immigrants. While this might not seem significant, the cultural climate in the United States has become increasingly critical of Christian Caucasian men, and the idea of two White men at the helm may have been too much for American sensibilities to bear.
For anyone who finds this idea far-fetched, consider the cultural lineup at the Republican National Convention on Monday. Harmeet Dhillon, a Sikh, began the evening by singing a prayer to her religion’s god (not the Christian god). This was followed by a speech from former porn star Amber Rose, sporting a forehead tattoo (“Bash Slash,” a reference to her two children), who told the enthusiastic audience: “Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care of you’re Black, White, gay or straight, it’s all love.” Lastly, Linda Fornos, an immigrant from Nicaragua, spoke about how “the Biden economy is driving prices through the roof – gas, groceries, everything.”
Ultimately, the Republican Party is desperate to avoid becoming a caricature of its core supporters: White Christian voters, many of whom, like JD Vance, come from impoverished regions like Appalachia. With Vance as Trump’s running mate, the Republican ticket has made a significant step towards cultural diversity. It remains to be seen if this will make a difference come November 5th.