Controversial comments by Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, have come back to haunt him, drawing attention to some extreme changes in political opinions over the years.
Old Opinions Resurface
Senator JD Vance shot to worldwide attention after being chosen as Donald Trump’s running mate for the 2024 US presidential elections. Now, Vance is in hot water over a flood of old messages, showing how radically his political views have shifted in recent years.
Conversations With Former Friends
One conversation that had commentators on both sides of the political spectrum raising their eyebrows was a back-and-forth with Vance’s former friend and Yale classmate Sofia Nelson, a trans public defender based in Detroit.
Controversial Thoughts on Police
Nelson spoke to the New York Times this week and shared an email conversation where Vance admitted to hating police, a stance broadly panned amongst Republican voters.
The Killing of Michael Brown
The conversation arose after the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, by Missouri policemen in 2014. In the email, Nelson suggested that police should be legally compelled to wear body cameras.
“I Hate the Police”
Vance said, “Given the number of negative experiences I’ve had in the past few years, I can’t imagine what a Black guy goes through.”
Police Endorse Trump
It should be noted that the Trump campaign has fiercely supported the US police force in past years, and the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) has also recently endorsed Trump’s bid for president.
A Cause For Concern
The messages that have likely caused the most concern for Trump-supporting Republicans are ones that Vance made in conversation with both Nelson and another former friend.
Trump Comments
In a second conversation with Nelson, Vance referred to Trump as a “morally reprehensible human being” and wrote, “The more white people feel like voting for Trump, the more black people will suffer. I really believe that.”
Calling Trump a “Demagogue”
In private Facebook messages with his old Yale Law School roommate Josh McLaurin in 2016, Vance referred to Trump as a “Demagogue”. He made direct comparisons with German Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
“How’s That For Discouraging?”
Vance claimed he goes “back and forth” between thinking Trump is “Cynical like Nixon who wouldn’t be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he’s America’s Hitler. How’s that for discouraging?” he wrote.
Harris’ Campaign Chimes in
Shortly after Vance was chosen as Trump’s running mate this month, Kamala Harris’ campaign pulled up old recordings of the potential Vice President calling Trump a “really bad candidate” and “really bad person” in 2016.
An Open Fact
Though these messages and recordings have stunned some constituents, Vance was always open about his distaste for Trump, particularly in the lead-up to the 2016 elections.
No Support in 2016
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper in 2016, he confirmed that he would not vote for the real estate mogul.
A Shift in 2021
Vance’s anti-Trump stance began to shift in 2021 as he began to ramp up his Senate campaign. He began parroting conspiracy theories about election fraud in Trump’s favor and promptly offered his support in an appearance on Fox News.
“I Regret Being Wrong”
“Like a lot of people, I criticized Trump back in 2016,” he said. “And I ask folks not to judge me based on what I said in 2016, because I’ve been very open that I did say those critical things, and I regret them, and I regret being wrong about the guy.”
How Sincere Is He?
These unveiled conversations have been publicly blasted by Republicans and Democrats alike, with many now questioning how sincere Vance’s political positions can be given how rapidly they have changed.
Trying to Curry Favor
Some believe his initial shift in opinion about Trump was to curry favor with Trump supporters to give him a better chance of winning the Senate nomination.
Taking the Senate
By 2022, Trump had publicly endorsed Vance’s bid for the Senate. Vance won the Senate race for Ohio that same year.
Friends Cutting Ties
While much of the wider public is only now taking note of Vance’s seemingly shaky ideologic stances, his two former friends have already cut ties over his perceived hypocrisy and political cynicism.
Responding to the Stories
Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for Vance’s own political campaign has responded to the recent public comments by Nelson, calling them “unfortunate.”
Already Explained
“He has been open about the fact that some of his views from a decade ago began to change after becoming a dad and starting a family, and he has thoroughly explained why he changed his mind on President Trump,” Schroeder said.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / lev radin.
