Why did Trump forgive J.D. Vance? It shows a remarkable level of confidence from Trump that he’s chosen the man who once called him ‘America’s Hitler’

It shows a remarkable level of confidence from Donald Trump that he’s chosen for his running-mate the man who once called him “America’s Hitler.”

J.D. Vance, the thirty-one-year-old junior senator from Ohio, made the private comment in 2016, as he rose to fame off the back of his autobiography Hillbilly Elegy. The book recounts what it was like to grow up in a deprived rust-belt town, where his family and neighbors had “no college degree” and “poverty’s the family tradition.” Vance escaped by joining the US Marine Corps, which included a tour in Iraq. Once home, his degrees from Ohio State University and Yale took him to California, where he worked for the entrepreneur and Republican-backer Peter Thiel, who is reported to have arranged the first meeting between Vance and Trump.

Vance wasn’t just establishing himself as an author. He was starting to make a name for himself politically, too, as a never-Trumper who thought the president was “reprehensible,” an “idiot” and “cultural heroin.”

Six years later, Vance successfully ran for the Senate in Ohio as a MAGA-affiliated candidate. He became one of the former president’s biggest supporters, defending his actions on January 6 and repeating Trump’s claim that the 2020 election “was stolen.” In his speech at the Republican National Convention last night — his first as the vice presidential nominee — Vance described Trump as “America’s last best hope to restore what, if lost, may never be found again.”

What changed? In an interview with the New York Times earlier this year, Vance described the “complete overreaction,” after Trump’s 2016 win, to the mere suggestion that the president might, sometimes, have a point. By the 2020 election, Vance’s vote for Trump was a protest vote against being “policed in what we think and what we say.”

Fortunately for Vance, Trump can be forgiving towards those who repent and do penance. Humiliation is part of the punishment. “J.D. is kissing my ass,” Trump told a rally of Ohioans in September 2022. “Yeah, he said some bad things about me, but that was before he knew me and then he fell in love.”

Despite their past differences, Trump and Vance are now thought to be politically aligned. Joe Biden described Vance as “a clone of Trump.” Yet there are some notable differences between them: Vance is a devout Catholic convert, whereas Trump could not name his favorite verse in what he says is his favorite book, “the Bible.” Their biggest differences, however, come down to extremes. On policy, Vance tends to out-MAGA Trump.

While Trump is vague on the extent of his support for Ukraine, Vance has called for an end to the war, which would cede territory to Russia. “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine,” he said in 2022. Vance wants the resources that are flowing to Europe to be diverted to America’s borders, as well as towards Taiwan — a move, he thinks, that could stop China invading.

Vance goes further on the economy, too. For all of Trump’s protectionist rhetoric, the crux of his economic agenda in office was broadly laissez-faire: a combination of lower taxes and market liberalization, with the odd Trumpian threat of a trade war thrown in to keep China and Europe on their toes.

If Vance gets his way, tariffs are the future. He seems relaxed about price rises (which he thinks are exaggerated) and tax hikes, so long as immigration is curbed and wages rise. His answer for filling in budget deficits is not to force America’s unemployed back to work but to entice them. The Republican Party hopes Vance’s economic outlook will appeal to trade-union voters. This week the head of the Teamsters Union — which represents 1.3 million workers — spoke at the Republican National Convention for the first time in history.

Vance may be a poster boy for the American dream, journeying from absolute poverty to Silicon Valley, to Congress. Trump has selected him as VP to highlight a different journey: Trump-naysayer to MAGA-enthusiast.

The Trump-Vance ticket is Trump’s way of showing off his unprecedented level of power over the Republican Party. In 2016, he chose Mike Pence as his VP to reassure its traditional wing. That’s a concession he doesn’t need to make any more. With Vance’s nomination, the MAGA takeover of the Republican Party is complete.

bills Vance sponsored in the Senate:

https://www.congress.gov/member/j-vance/V000137?q=%7B%22sponsorship%22%3A%22sponsored%22%7D

1. S.4516 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
A bill to ensure equal protection of the law, to prevent racism in the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 06/12/2024) Cosponsors: (9)

3. S.4295 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Encampments or Endowments Act

4. S.4232 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Fixing Administrations Unethical Corrupt Influence Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 05/01/2024)

5. S.4122 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Continuous Skilled Nursing Quality Improvement Act of 2024
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 04/15/2024)

6. S.4045 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act of 2024
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/21/2024)

7. S.3978 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
College Employment Accountability Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/19/2024) Cosponsors: (4)

8. S.3962 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Enhanced End-Use Monitoring Accountability Act of 2024
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/14/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

9. S.3945 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
A bill to restrict the Chinese Government from accessing United States capital markets and exchanges if it fails to comply with international laws relating to finance, trade, and commerce.
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/14/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

10. S.3944 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
William S. Knudsen Defense Remobilization Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/14/2024) Cosponsors: (4)

11. S.3915 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
No Community Development Block Grants for Sanctuary Cities Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/12/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

12. S.3903 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Ukraine Aid Transparency Act of 2024
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/11/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

13. S.3668 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
State Border Security Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 01/25/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

“(c) Prohibition Against Removing Protective Fencing.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, no employee or agent of the Federal Government may execute or enforce any provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act by dismantling, removing, destroying, or tampering with concertina wire, razor wire, barbed wire, or other protective fencing erected by a State government within 25 miles of the international border between the United States and Mexico.

“(2) EXCEPTION.—The prohibition described in paragraph (1) shall not apply in situations where the Federal Government demonstrates, by clear and convincing evidence, that the fencing referred to in such paragraph was erected by a State government with the intention of facilitating illegal immigration rather than deterring illegal immigration.

“(3) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.—The Attorney General may seek injunctive relief in an appropriate Federal district court to order any State that has erected protective fencing intended to facilitate illegal immigration to remove such fencing by meeting the evidentiary standard described in paragraph (2).”.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3668/text?s=2&r=13

14. S.3638 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Dependent Controlled Substance Transparency Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 01/23/2024)

To allow health plan policyholders to obtain information about controlled substances prescribed to adult children enrolled in such plan.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3638/text?s=2&r=14

15. S.3516 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)

A bill to impose a fee on certain remittance transfers to fund border security.
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 12/14/2023) Cosponsors: (0)

16. S.3514 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the excise tax on net investment income of certain private colleges and universities.
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 12/14/2023)

17. S.3507 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12804 Chillicothe Road in Chesterland, Ohio, as the “Sgt. Wolfgang Kyle Weninger Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 12/13/2023) Cosponsors: (1)

18. S.3483 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Consequences for Climate Vandals Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 12/13/2023) Cosponsors: (1)

19. S.3396 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
College Admissions Accountability Act of 2023
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 12/05/2023) Cosponsors: (5)

20. S.3048 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Fairness for Stay-at-Home Parents Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 10/17/2023) Cosponsors: (3)

21. S.3011 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Passport Sanity Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 10/04/2023) Cosponsors: (2)

22. S.2962 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Drive American Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 09/28/2023) Cosponsors: (0)

23. S.2856 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Safeguarding American Education From Foreign Control Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 09/20/2023) Cosponsors: (5)

24. S.2738 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Freedom to Breathe Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 09/07/2023) Cosponsors: (12)

25. S.2656 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Timely Departure Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/27/2023) Cosponsors: (0)

26. S.2497 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Bank Failure Prevention Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/26/2023) Cosponsors: (0)

27. S.2403 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Payroll Account Guarantee Act of 2023
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/20/2023) Cosponsors: (0)

28. S.2374 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
No Obamacare for Illegal Aliens Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/19/2023) Cosponsors: (3)

29. S.2357 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Protect Children’s Innocence Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/18/2023) Cosponsors: (2)

30. S.2335 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Financial Regulatory Accountability Act of 2023
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/18/2023) Cosponsors: (3)

31. S.2255 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
A bill to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to clarify the meaning of the term “aggregate value” for purposes of the Presidential drawdown authority.
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 07/12/2023) Cosponsors: (1)

32. S.1670 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 05/18/2023) Cosponsors: (1)

33. S.1632 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2023
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 05/17/2023) Cosponsors: (5)

34. S.1109 — 118th Congress (2023-2024)
English Language Unity Act of 2023
Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH] (Introduced 03/30/2023) Cosponsors: (2)

English Language Unity Act of 2023

This bill establishes English as the official language of the United States. It establishes a framework for implementation and enforcement, including by testing English as part of the naturalization process.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1109?s=2&r=34

Passport Sanity Act

This bill prohibits the Department of State from issuing a passport, passport card, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad with an unspecified (X) gender designation. The State Department must also ensure that applications for such documents include only male and female gender designations.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3011?s=2&r=21

Remittance Transfer Fee.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—If the designated recipient of a remittance transfer is located outside of the United States, a remittance transfer provider shall collect from the sender of such remittance transfer a remittance transfer fee equal to 10 percent of the United States dollar amount to be transferred.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3516/text?s=2&r=15

Timely Departure Act

This bill requires certain nonimmigrants to secure a visa with a bond.

Under the bill, an applicant for a covered visa category must provide a bond (or cash payment) of at least $5,000 and no more than $15,000 according to rules to be established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Covered visa categories include those for visitors for business or pleasure and exclude those for foreign government officials and crime victims. The bill also specifies that a nonimmigrant seeking asylum or withholding of removal while present in the United States must apply for asylum or withholding of removal by the expiration date on their visa to remain eligible for asylum or withholding of removal.

The bill provides that a covered nonimmigrant who overstays the term of their visa forfeits the full bond, is subject to removal, and is ineligible for any lawful immigration status (including adjustment of status) for at least 4 years and up to 12 years. Forfeited amounts may be used solely for detention facilities for non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) and international transportation for non-U.S. nationals ordered removed from the United States.

The bill specifies that DHS, in implementing this bill, may only issue rules regarding (1) the collection and retention of bonds and cash payments, (2) the notification of the Attorney General regarding a nonimmigrant’s failure to timely depart, and (3) preventing the circumvention of the bond requirement.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2656?s=2&r=25

To provide for the discharge of parent borrower liability if a student on whose behalf a parent has received certain student loans becomes disabled.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4333/text?s=2&r=2

SEC. 2. REPAYMENT OF LOANS TO PARENTS.

(a) In General.—Section 437(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087(d)) is amended by inserting “or becomes permanently and totally disabled (as determined in accordance with regulations of the Secretary), or if the student is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death, has lasted for a continuous period of not less than 60 months, or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 60 months,” after “dies,”.

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