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On 15 July, former President Donald Trump revealed on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Ohio Senator JD Vance would be his running mate. This announcement marked a significant step in Vance’s rapid political rise, just a year and a half after he took office as a US senator. However, it also raised eyebrows as the VP-nominee had a history of criticising Trump.
Who is JD Vance: Early life, career, and family
Born in August 1984 in Middletown, Ohio, JD Vance’s early life was marked by instability. Originally named James Donald Bowman, he was adopted by his stepfather at age six, resulting in his name change to James David Vance. His upbringing was challenging, with his biological father leaving and his mother battling addiction. Vance spent a significant portion of his youth with his grandparents in Kentucky, where his grandmother, a staunch Democrat and gun owner, played a pivotal role in his life. Vance outlined all this in his memoir, ‘Hillbilly Elegy’, published in 2016.
Middletown, once a thriving manufacturing hub, saw many jobs vanish over time, impacting Vance’s family and the community. After high school, Vance enlisted in the US Marine Corps, serving in the Iraq War. He later graduated from The Ohio State University and earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 2013.
After his stint in venture capital, Vance returned to Ohio in 2017. He is married to Usha Chilukuri, a Yale classmate and a litigator who clerked for Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh. The couple has three children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel.
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JD Vance’s rise to politics
Vance gained national attention with his memoir, which was later adapted into a Netflix movie. The movie provided a vivid account of his upbringing and the struggles of the white working class. Vance’s insights into these communities made him a sought-after commentator, particularly during the 2016 presidential election.
Vance’s entry into politics gained momentum when Ohio Senator Rob Portman decided not to seek re-election in 2022. His campaign received a significant boost from a $10 million donation by Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley investor and former employer. Despite initial setbacks due to his past criticisms of Trump, Vance mended fences and secured Trump’s endorsement, which was crucial in his primary victory and subsequent Senate win.
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In the Senate, Vance serves on several committees, including Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Joint Economic; and the Special Committee on Aging. His alignment with Trump’s agenda has solidified his standing within the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
JD Vance’s stance on China, Ukraine war and Israel tensions
Vance’s foreign policy can be summarised as ‘America first with an Israel exception’, as boldly stated by Aljazeera. Vance has shown unwavering support for Israel, criticising the Biden administration following Hamas’ attack on 7 October last year.
On China: Vance has pushed for European nations to take more responsibility for their defence, allowing the US to concentrate on countering China. Vance has advocated for reduced immigration, arguing it undermines the ‘American Dream’, which he defines as the ability to build a prosperous life in one’s own country.
At a recent National Conservatism Conference, he criticised increased immigration policies and emphasised the threat to American democracy posed by ignoring voters’ preferences for less immigration.
On Israel - Palestine: Vance recently introduced legislation to cut federal funds for colleges with protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza and those employing undocumented immigrants. Vance has also opposed any limits on aid to Israel, attributing his stance to his Christian beliefs.
Domestically, Vance has been vocal against providing special immigration protections for Palestinians, labelling them as “potentially radicalised individuals.” He also sponsored bills targeting colleges with protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
On Ukraine: Vance has expressed a strong stance against US funding for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, questioning the objectives of American involvement. He praised Trump for his approach to deterring Russia and advocated for a strategic focus on East Asia, viewing China as the primary competitor.
JD Vance on immigration, abortion, LGBTQ+
JD Vance’s rapid rise in American politics, from a challenging upbringing to becoming Trump’s vice-presidential pick, underscores his significant influence and alignment with the "America First" agenda. His policies, particularly regarding foreign aid, immigration, and national defence, reflect a continuation of Trump’s political legacy.
He was an advocate for a national abortion ban after 15 weeks, but has rolled back this view to better align with Trump’s.
Vance introduced a Bill last year, called Protect Children’s Innocence Act, which sought to ban transition-related healthcare, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and operations, for minors in the US. The bill also sought to punish those who provided medical care with a felony with up to 15 years in prison. He has also sought to ban the unspecified gender marker "X" on passports. Neither of these bills were taken up.
US’ largest LGBTQ+ communities have spoken out against Vance, calling him out for his spread of misinformation.
What does JD Vance’s election campaign mean for Trump?
Vance’s rise in politics came largely due to the popularity he gained from his blue collar background and representation of the working class of the US. This sharply contrasts to Trump's business background and substantial, if sometimes exaggerated, wealth. At 39, Vance is the youngest among those in the 2024 US presidential race.
This along with his military background, makes it easy to see why Trump would want Vance by his side. However, US media has pointed out that since Vance does not come from a swing state, there is not much support he can provide Trump. Additionally, Vance has received a lot of media scrutiny with many seeing him as one of the worst choices for VP by Trump.
Trump has dismissed concerns and did not defend Vance, stating that the VP position did not matter.
How is the US media seeing JD Vance?
Upon Vance’s endorsement as VP, President Biden went on to call him a "clone of Trump". The Wall Street Journal editorial, among other media outlets, have condemned the choice, marking Vance as one of the most unpopular picks for VP.
His nomination as Trump’s running mate has already caused a stir in Europe, with German legislator Metin Hakverdi highlighting the need for Europe to take greater responsibility for its security and sovereignty.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hakverdi called Vance a “tough nut to crack”. Adding, “The nomination of [JD Vance] as VP shows us in Europe that we must continue to make an effort to take greater care of European security and sovereignty ourselves.”
Is JD Vance involved in any controversy?
From critic to cheerleader: Vance has drawn sharp criticism from the media, starting with him backtracking on his criticism of Trump, which garnered him popularity in 2016. He was a vocal critic, describing Trump as “an idiot” and “reprehensible”. In a private Facebook message, Vance had reportedly called Trump a “cynical a**hole”, and more famously, “America's Hitler”.
He later apologised for his earlier comments and has become Trump's number one supporter. For instance, Vance had earlier shown support for a national abortion ban after 15 weeks, but recently aligned with Trump’s view that abortion should be decided by individual states.
‘She's not white, but I love Usha’: Vance and his wife received many verbal attacks from white supremists who were unhappy with the VP nominee for marrying a woman of colour of Indian origin. People in the US were shocked given the VP candidate’s conservative views on religion and immigration. When asked about these attacks, Vance’s response drew further criticism. Instead of condemning the attack and defending his wife, Vance expressed his love for Usha.
“Look, I love my wife so much. I love her because she’s who she is... Obviously, she’s not a white person, and we've been accused — attacked — by some white supremacists over that,” he said in an interview with Megyn Kelly on her SiriusXM show.
Childless cat ladies: Vance stirred massive controversy when a 2021 clip of him calling Democrats “childless cat ladies” emerged.
“It’s just a basic fact – you look at Kamala Harris, [transportation secretary] Pete Buttigieg, AOC [congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] – the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children,” Vance had said.
He later tried to excuse the comment calling it a joke and sarcasm. His wife also went on Fox News to condemn the media for presenting her husband as a ‘caricature’ instead of a real person.
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