Political positions of JD Vance

Vance speaking at the 2024 People's Convention
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During his time in the U.S. Senate, JD Vance has been described as national conservative,[1][2] right-wing populist,[1][3] and an ideological successor to paleoconservatives such as Pat Buchanan.[4] Vance describes himself, and has been described by others, as a member of the postliberal right.[5][6][7][8] He is known for his ties to Silicon Valley.[9] Vance has said he is "plugged into a lot of weird, right-wing subcultures" online.[7] Vance has endorsed books written by Heritage Foundation leader Kevin Roberts and far-right conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec.[10][11]

On social issues, Vance is considered conservative.[12] He opposes abortion,[13][14] same-sex marriage,[12] and gun control.[15][16][17] He has taken a number of natalist positions. He has repeatedly expressed his belief that childlessness is linked to sociopathy, and advocated that parents have more voting power than non-parents.[18][19] In August 2024, he backtracked from that suggestion.[20] Vance has lamented that increased divorces adversely affect children of divorced parents.[21] He has proposed federal criminalization of gender-affirming care for minors.[22] He opposes continued American military aid to Ukraine during the ongoing Russian invasion.[23][24][25] Vance has argued that the country's largest and most powerful institutions have united against the right and has called for "a de-woke-ification program".[26][27] He is critical of universities, which he has called "the enemy".[28] Vance is also critical of both the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[29]

In 2016, Vance was an outspoken critic of then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, calling Trump "reprehensible" and "America's Hitler"[30][31] and himself a "never Trump guy".[32][33] In 2021, after Vance announced his Senate candidacy, he publicly announced support for Trump, apologizing for his past criticisms of Trump and deleting some of them.[34][35] That year, Vance advised Trump to fire "every civil servant" to replace them with "our people".[36] Vance has said that, unlike Trump's vice president Mike Pence, if he had been vice president during the 2020 presidential election, he would not have certified the election results, instead insisting that some states that Trump lost should send pro-Trump electors so that Congress could decide the election.[37]

  1. ^ a b van Zuylen-Wood, Simon (January 4, 2022). "The Radicalization of J.D. Vance". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  2. ^ Orr, James (July 16, 2024). "JD Vance's nomination proves Trumpism is here to stay". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Goldman, Samuel (July 15, 2021). "Peter Thiel's implausible populists". The Week. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Beauchamp, Zack (July 15, 2024). "What J.D. Vance really believes". Vox. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Ward, Ian (June 8, 2023). "'I Don't Want to Violently Overthrow the Government. I Want Something Far More Revolutionary.'". Politico. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Zorzi, Graedon H. (July 16, 2024). "J.D. Vance and the Rise of 'Postliberalism'". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Haynes, Gavin (July 17, 2024). "JD Vance has some weird influences". The Spectator. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024. Vance says he is 'plugged into a lot of weird, right-wing subcultures'. He draws from a whole new political lexicon, one that would seem baffling to his more starched colleagues in the Congress.
  8. ^ Joyce, Kathryn (January 6, 2022). "The New Right's Grim, Increasingly Popular Fantasies of an International Nationalism". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Breland, Ali (July 17, 2024). "Silicon Valley Got Their Guy". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024. On X, he follows niche but popular anonymous posters such as Bronze Age Pervert, Raw Egg Nationalist, and Lomez...
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Swenson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Meyer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b BeMiller, Haley (August 25, 2022). "Ohio Senate Race: J.D. Vance Focuses on Conservative Family Issues". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2022. He's against same-sex marriage and said he would not support federal legislation to codify marriage equality...
  13. ^ Bendix, Aria (July 16, 2024). "Where JD Vance stands on abortion, based on 6 of his statements". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Wagner, John (September 24, 2021). "Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance argues against need for rape and incest exceptions in abortion laws". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  15. ^ Jevin, Katie (July 15, 2024). "Everytown, Moms Demand Action Respond to Trump Announcing Vance as his Pick for Vice President". Moms Demand Action. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  16. ^ Hutchinson, Bill (August 16, 2024). "JD Vance and Tim Walz claim to be 2nd Amendment stalwarts. But where do the VP picks really stand on guns?". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  17. ^ Villeneuve, Marina (July 18, 2024). "'Gun extremists have a dream ticket': JD Vance brags about 'Mamaw's' huge gun stash in RNC speech". Salon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference disparaging was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Paz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Jones, Ja'han (July 25, 2024). "In his attacks on the 'childless' left, JD Vance once hyped a plan to give parents more votes". MSNBC. Archived from the original on August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference Trau was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Eaton, Sabrina (July 18, 2023). "JD Vance proposes federal ban on gender transition care for minors". cleveland.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  23. ^ Stanton, Andrew (July 15, 2024). "JD Vance eyes shift in Republican Party". Newsweek. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Stein, Jeff (July 15, 2024). "J.D. Vance pick unnerves GOP's business elite, thrills populists". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  25. ^ Arnsdorf, Isaac; Dawsey, Josh; LeVine, Marianne (July 16, 2024). "How Trump got to 'yes' on Vance". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024. Major Republican donors opposed Vance because they viewed his inclination toward economic populism as hostile to their model of small-government, free-market conservatism.
  26. ^ Cite error: The named reference :9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  27. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  28. ^ Knott, Katherine (July 16, 2024). "Trump taps J.D. Vance, sharp critic of higher ed, for VP". Inside Higher Ed. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  29. ^ Wilson, Jason (August 22, 2024). "Revealed: JD Vance promoted far-right views in speech about extremists' book". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  30. ^ Pengelly, Martin (July 16, 2024). "JD Vance once worried Trump was 'America's Hitler'. Now his own authoritarian leanings come into view". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  31. ^ Chait, Jonathan (July 15, 2024). "J.D. Vance Joins Ticket With Man He Once Called 'America's Hitler'". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  32. ^ Cite error: The named reference Owen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  33. ^ Timmerding, Isabella (July 16, 2024). "JD Vance once coined Trump "America's Hitler," now he will serve as his second in command". FOX 5 DC. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  34. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ball was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  35. ^ Cite error: The named reference Oshin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  36. ^ Cite error: The named reference key was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  37. ^ Cite error: The named reference Itkowitz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).