Portrait - Trump's Choice: Who is J.D. Vance?
Capital investors, celebrated book author, Senator - and soon Vice President of the United States? J.D. Vance is running as Vice Presidential nominee for Donald Trump. This is not only unusual due to his short and steep political career, but also because he once had no good words for his new boss.
Vance was born in 1984 as James Donald Bowman in the US state of Ohio. He studied law at the elite American university Yale and later worked as a capital investor in the California Silicon Valley. In 2016, he achieved success with his memoirs "Hillbilly Elegy". The bestseller, which was also filmed, provides insight into a layer that helped make Trump's election possible.
At the beginning of his presidency, Vance was a vocal critic of Trump, calling him "dangerous". However, his opinion had changed six years later when he himself entered the political spotlight - and that's why he courted Trump as a supporter.
Since his election to the Senate in 2022, Vance has represented his home state of Ohio, pursuing a populist-nationalist agenda as an advocate of the Republican Right. He owes his electoral success to extremely generous donors whom he knows from his time on the West Coast.
In the event of a victory in November, Vance, at 39 years old, would be one of the youngest Vice Presidents in US history. Due to his good connections in the financial world on the one hand and his rhetorical strengths on the other, he is considered a promising partner in the campaign.
Vance made it clear what tone he could strike after the Trump assassination attempt last weekend: Instead of calling for unity in the country like other politicians, he personally blamed US President Biden for the attack. On the platform X, Vance wrote that Biden's campaign is completely focused on portraying Trump as an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. US media already refer to Vance as a "Bulldog," or a Vice President who jumps into the breach for Trump - come what may.
In his political journey, J.D. Vance, born in Ohio, studied law at renowned Yale University, gaining an elite education. Later, he worked as a capital investor in the tech-rich Silicon Valley in California. (United States of America, Ohio, Yale University, Silicon Valley)
Despite being a critic of Trump earlier, Vance shifted his stance and started supporting him after entering the political realm himself. This relationship was instrumental in his election as a Senator from Ohio in 2022. (Donald Trump, Vance, political spotlight, criticism, support, election, Ohio)
The 2024 US Elections are anticipated with interest as Vance, at just 39 years old, could potentially become one of the youngest Vice Presidents in US history if Trump secures another term. (Vance, Trump, 2024 US Elections)
Vance's populist-nationalist agenda and strong rhetorical skills have made him a valuable asset in Trump's campaign, earning him the nickname "Bulldog." (populist-nationalist agenda, rhetorical skills, campaign, Bulldog)
In response to the assassination attempt on Trump, Vance blamed President Biden without calling for national unity, a departure from the rhetoric typically used by politicians in such situations. (assassination attempt, Biden, national unity, departure, rhetoric)
