Former President Donald Trump has chosen Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate for the upcoming US presidential election, making the announcement on the first day of the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee.
Vance, once a vocal critic of Trump, has since become a staunch ally, aligning closely with Trump’s populist and America First agenda.
At 39 years old, Vance is considered one of the least experienced vice presidential picks in recent history but has garnered attention for his outspoken views, particularly on issues like immigration and abortion.
His 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” propelled him into the national spotlight, portraying his Appalachian roots and highlighting rural America’s challenges.
Despite his earlier criticism of Trump, including describing him as “noxious” and comparing him to “America’s Hitler,” Vance has pivoted to become a prominent supporter of the former president.
Trump’s decision to unveil Vance as his running mate was overshadowed by a dramatic incident at a rally in Pennsylvania, where an attempted assassination on Trump disrupted his pre-convention plans.
‘Supposed to be dead’
With the country still reeling from images of the bloodied Trump being escorted off a rally stage, some 50,000 Republicans descended on the shores of Lake Michigan for the four-day gathering, four months before the election against Democratic President Joe Biden.
The attempted assassination — in which one bystander was killed, and two more wounded — was expected to dominate proceedings, with Trump dismissing calls to postpone and vowing to be “defiant in the face of wickedness.”
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” he told the New York Post in an interview aboard his plane to Milwaukee, during which he reportedly had a white bandage on his ear and a large bruise on his forearm from where Secret Service agents gripped him.
The Secret Service, which is battling criticism it failed to protect Trump from the shooter, said it was “fully prepared” to ensure security at the convention.
Leading in multiple polls, despite being convicted at his hush-money criminal case in New York, Trump is exuding confidence.
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Biden, 81, meanwhile is facing calls from his own side to quit the race over concerns around his age.
Trump scored another victory Monday as a judge dismissed the criminal case against him over accusations he endangered national security by holding on to top secret documents after leaving the White House.
Message of unity
He immediately took to Truth Social to call for the dismissal of all legal cases against him, insisting again that he was being targeted for political reasons.
Trump told the Post he had “prepared an extremely tough speech” about Biden’s “horrible administration” to deliver when he becomes the official Republican nominee on Thursday.
As some Republicans — including Vance — sought to blame Democrats’ anti-Trump rhetoric for the attack, Trump also said he hopes to “unite our country.”
Still, that would see him have to rein in the instinct to settle scores — demonstrated by his cry for supporters to “fight” in the seconds after Saturday’s attack.
The Milwaukee gathering is largely designed in Trump’s image, with digital banners beaming out a message in the cavernous convention arena: “Make America Great Once Again.”
The branding reflects his takeover of the party.
A diminished figure after his 2020 election loss and a subsequent riot at the Capitol by his supporters, Trump has spent much of the last four years reshaping Republican politics.
Installing loyalists including his daughter-in-law Lara Trump atop the Republican National Committee, the billionaire has effectively crushed dissent.
The Milwaukee convention is also a family affair, with Lara and the former president’s two eldest sons, Don Jr and Eric, all due to address delegate