Donald Trump announced on Monday that he has chosen Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate for the US presidential election. Vance, a former critic turned staunch supporter, was named by Trump, 78, during the first day of the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee, which was energized by a recent attempt on Trump’s life.
At 39 years old, Vance is seen as a leading figure in a new wave of populism aligned with Trump’s America First agenda, focusing on isolationism and anti-immigration policies.
Despite being one of the least experienced vice presidential picks in modern times, Vance holds positions further to the right than Trump on several issues, including advocating for federal abortion legislation.
He gained prominence with his 2016 memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ a widely-read account of his Appalachian family and humble upbringing in the Rust Belt. The book resonated by giving voice to rural, working-class frustrations in overlooked America.
Critics have highlighted several controversial remarks made by Vance, once a vocal ‘Never Trump’ advocate, including calling the billionaire ‘idiotic,’ ‘noxious,’ and ‘reprehensible,’ and comparing him to ‘America’s Hitler.’
In recent years, Vance shifted his stance to become a supporter of Trump and secured the former president’s crucial endorsement in the 2022 Ohio Senate race.
Trump intended to make a significant announcement ahead of the Milwaukee convention, but his plans were disrupted when a gunman attempted to attack him during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
