Donald Trump announced his selection of right-wing Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate in the upcoming US presidential election, marking a turnaround for Vance from a one-time fierce critic to one of Trump’s staunchest allies in Congress.
Trump unveiled his choice on Monday during the opening day of the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee, an event heightened by the recent assassination attempt on the former president.
At 39 years old, Vance is viewed as a leading figure of the new populist movement that has gained prominence under Trump, advocating for the America First agenda with a strong emphasis on isolationism and anti-immigration policies.
Despite being one of the least experienced vice presidential picks in modern history, Vance holds positions further to the right than Trump on several issues, notably advocating for federal legislation on abortion.
Vance gained national recognition with his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestseller that detailed his Appalachian family’s life and his modest upbringing in the Rust Belt, amplifying the voice of rural, working-class America that felt overlooked.
Critics have highlighted Vance’s past criticisms of Trump, including calling him names such as “idiot,” “noxious,” and even comparing him to “America’s Hitler,” despite having since transformed into a dedicated supporter of the ex-president in recent years. This transformation culminated in Trump endorsing Vance in his successful 2022 Ohio Senate campaign.
Trump had initially planned to reveal his running mate ahead of the Milwaukee convention but was disrupted by a failed assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, altering his pre-convention schedule significantly.
Trump’s assassination attempt and legal troubles cloud second-term bid against Biden
The four-day convention commenced at Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, shortly after a failed assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania and the dismissal of one of his criminal cases by a federal judge.
Trump is scheduled to formally accept his party’s nomination in a Thursday evening address, setting the stage for a challenge against Democratic President Joe Biden in the upcoming November 5 election.
Trump, aged 78, and Biden, aged 81, are engaged in a closely contested rematch as indicated by opinion polls. Trump persists in asserting baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election that led to Biden’s victory and has not committed to accepting the outcome of the upcoming election if he were to lose.
Following the assassination attempt, Trump announced adjustments to his acceptance speech to emphasise national unity rather than his differences with Biden.
“This is an opportunity to unite the entire country, even the world. The speech will be markedly different from what it would have been two days ago,” Trump told the Washington Examiner. The assailant’s bullet grazed Trump’s right ear but caused no significant injury.
In response to the judge’s decision on the dismissed case, Trump expressed optimism that his remaining prosecutions should also be dropped. He currently faces trial in Washington and Georgia for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on July 1 granted him immunity for many actions taken during his presidency, potentially complicating these cases.
In September, Trump faces sentencing in New York for attempting to conceal a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
“This dismissal of the Florida indictment should mark just the beginning, with all other ‘witch hunts’ swiftly following suit,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform, also referencing the prosecution of numerous supporters involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
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