Who Is JD Vance, Donald Trump's Pick for Vice President? | DW News

Jul 15, 2024 | Donald Trump has named Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. Vance is a 39-year-old Marine Corps veteran who rose to prominence with his 2016 memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," that tells of the hardships he faced growing up in Appalachian Kentucky and Ohio. When Trump first ran for president that same year, Vance called him "dangerous" and "unfit for office." However, Vance was introduced to the Trump family when Donald Trump Jr. became a fan of his book. He eventually met with Trump as president in 2021.

J.D. Vance Was Not Always His Name. But It’s the One That Felt Closest to Home. : James David Vance has had a number of names in his life, a function of an upbringing marked by domestic instability. »