Ohio Senator JD Vance, now Donald Trump’s Vice Presidential pick for the 2024 election, was once a fervent critic of the former president. Vance’s dramatic reversal marks a significant shift in his political journey, reflecting broader trends within the Republican Party and American politics.
Vance’s public and private denouncements of Trump in 2016 and 2017 were striking. In private messages, he wondered if Trump was “America’s Hitler” and described him as a “moral disaster.” Vance also publicly called Trump a “total fraud” and “reprehensible.”
“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 wrote in a message to a friend in 2016. “How’s that for discouraging?”
Vance’s criticism extended to Trump’s policies and character. He referred to Trump as “cultural heroin” and “just another opioid” for Middle America. He told CNN ahead of the 2016 election that he was “definitely not” voting for Trump and even contemplated voting for Hillary Clinton, ultimately deciding to vote for independent candidate Evan McMullin.
“Fellow Christians, everyone is watching us when we apologize for this man. Lord help us,” Vance tweeted after the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was published in 2016.
Vance’s critical remarks were prominent when he was promoting his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” published in 2016. The book catapulted him to fame as a “Trump whisperer,” capable of explaining Trump’s appeal to the White working class. However, his initial views were far from supportive. In a 2016 interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Vance stated, “I’m definitely not gonna vote for Trump because I think that he’s projecting very complex problems onto simple villains.”
Despite his harsh criticisms, Vance’s views began to shift. By 2020, he fully embraced Trump, telling podcaster Megyn Kelly after the election that he had voted for him. A year later, Vance announced his run for Senate in Ohio and actively sought Trump’s endorsement, which he ultimately received.
At the start of his campaign, Vance was forced to apologize after CNN resurfaced old tweets from 2016 and early 2017 where he had sharply criticized Trump. “I did say those critical things and I regret them, and I regret being wrong about the guy,” Vance told Fox News in 2021. In a statement to CNN, Vance cited Trump’s “many successes in office” for changing his mind.
“I’m proud to be one of his strongest supporters in the Senate today and I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure President Trump wins in November—the survival of America depends on it,” Vance stated.
Vance’s transformation from a critic to a supporter is notable. His early comments against Trump were scathing. He liked tweets that accused Trump of committing “serial sexual assault,” called him “one of USA’s most hated, villainous, douchey celebs,” and harshly criticized Trump’s response to the deadly 2017 White nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. “There is no moral equivalence between the anti-racist protestors in Charlottesville and the killer (and his ilk),” Vance wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Vance’s political evolution underscores a broader realignment within the GOP as the party becomes one of working-class White voters. In promoting his book, Vance often said Trump played to or exploited White working-class voters’ fears and prejudices. “I think he’s a total fraud that is exploiting these people,” Vance said during a radio interview in 2016. “I don’t think he actually cares about folks,” he added.
Vance’s changing views were influenced by political calculations and the evolving dynamics within the GOP. The strategic benefits of aligning with Trump became clear, especially as Trump’s influence within the party grew. Vance’s relationship with right-wing billionaire Peter Thiel also played a significant role in his transformation. Thiel’s financial support and endorsement were crucial to Vance’s political career.
Trump’s announcement of Vance as his Vice Presidential pick highlights this dramatic transformation. “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Vance’s journey from a Trump critic to a staunch supporter reflects the broader trends within the GOP and American politics. His transformation underscores the party’s shift towards unwavering loyalty to Trump and the significant influence of key figures and donors in shaping political careers.
As Vance himself stated, “I’m proud to be one of his strongest supporters in the Senate today and I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure President Trump wins in November—the survival of America depends on it.”
Vance won his Senate race in 2022 by 6 percentage points—less than the 8.1 percentage points Trump won the state by in 2020. His remarkable political evolution continues to be a significant talking point as the 2024 election approaches.
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