President Donald Trump has selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his vice presidential pick.
Vance is a veteran of the United State Marine Corps, a technology entrepreneur, and the author of the best-selling book Hillbilly Elegy. A previous “never Trumper,” Vance has become a vocal supporter of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
“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 in a statement of Truth Social on July 15.
Trump praised Vance and his memoir, which the former president said “championed the hardworking men and women of our Country.”
“J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond,” said the Republican.
Vance was elected to the United States Senate in 2022. The 39-year-old, who said his 2016 criticisms of Trump were "stupid," was endorsed by the former president. After his time in the military, Vance attended Ohio State University and Yale Law School. Vance had denied reports that he had been in talks with Trump to take the spot previously held by former Vice President Mike Pence.
“My attitude towards it is, if it comes to me, great. But it’s not something I’m going to lobby for,” said the 39-year-old, per The Hill. “I don’t think that’s the right attitude to take towards it, and you know maybe, Trump respects that. Maybe he doesn’t, but that’s ultimately his call.”
Vance has warned that the “Biden administration wants Trump to die in jail.” He called the civil and criminal prosecution “the biggest assault on democracy we've ever seen.” The March post went viral with more than one million views in 24 hours.
He sharply condemned the attempted assassination of Trump on July 13, arguing President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has been stoking political tensions for weeks. “Today is not just some isolated incident,” wrote the senator on X. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump's attempted assassination.” Hours before Trump’s announcement, Vance was seen being escorted from his house by an official motorcade.
🚨JD Vance spotted leaving his home in a motorcade
Is he going to be Vice President?
If so, he would be a strong deterrent against the Deep State trying to remove Trump
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) July 15, 2024
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article mistakenly claimed Vance was 41 years old
