As the US presidential elections draw near, former US President Donald Trump has made his pick for Vice President, selecting JD Vance as his running mate on Monday.
Trump confirmed Vance’s candidature through a post on social media.
“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 posted on Truth Social.
After years of scathing criticism of Trump, Vance has embraced the populist ideology of the former president; this choice further elevates him.
After getting support from Trump in a fierce Republican primary, Vance–a venture entrepreneur and the author of the best-selling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy”–was elected to the US Senate in 2022, according to CNN.
“J.D. honorably served our Country in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University in two years, Summa Cum Laude, and is a Yale Law School Graduate, where he was Editor of The Yale Law Journal and President of the Yale Law Veterans Association. J.D.’s book, ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ became a Major Best Seller and Movie, as it 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….” Trump further said in his post.
“…As Vice President, J.D. will continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Congratulations to Senator J.D. Vance, his wife, Usha, who also graduated from Yale Law School, and their three beautiful children. MAGA2024!” the post added.
Marco Rubio of Florida and Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota, who were considered to be the frontrunners in the race, are now out of it.
Vance has been a supporter of Trump in the Senate and frequently casts votes in the former president’s favor.
He echoed Trump’s criticism of increasing aid by opposing a bill aimed at assisting Ukraine earlier this year. He is also close with Donald Trump Jr., according to CNN report.
According to the report, Vance–a veteran, author, and former venture capitalist–was one of the contenders who obtained vice-presidential vetting materials from the Trump campaign.
Vance was born James David Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, to a mother who struggled with addiction and a father who left the family when JD was a toddler. He was raised by his grandparents.
In 2017, Vance returned to Ohio and continued to work in venture capital. He and his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, whom he met at Yale, have three children.
Usha Vance, born Usha Chilukuri, is an attorney who has carved out a successful career in the legal field.
Born to Indian immigrant parents, she grew up with a strong emphasis on education and hard work in a San Diego, California, suburb. Usha attended Yale University and also graduated from Yale Law School.
While at Yale, Usha served as managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology and executive development editor of The Yale Law Journal, according to a biography from Munger, Tolles & Olson law firm. This development comes on the heels of the recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday (July 13).
The Trump campaign says the former president, following his brush with death, will call for unity in the face of tragedy instead of criticising his political adversaries as he faces off with President Biden in a 2024 election rematch.
Trump was on stage at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania’s Butler before gunshots rang out and Secret Service agents stormed the stage. Following the attack on Trump, the Secret Service agents surrounded the Republican candidate and escorted him off the stage, with blood visible across his face.
Donald Trump said that the bullet pierced the upper part of his ear. One of the rally attendees was killed, while two more were critically injured. The gunman was also killed by US Secret Service agents.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks. It further said that an investigation is underway into the shooting incident.
Earlier in the day, the classified documents case against former US President Donald Trump was dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday, CNN reported.
Cannon said the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith “violated the Constitution.”
Trump was indicted in June last year by a federal grand jury in Miami. He was accused of taking classified national defence documents from the White House after he left office and resisting the government’s attempts to retrieve the materials. However, both Trump and his aide, Walt Nauta, pleaded not guilty to the charges.