On Monday, Donald Trump selected right-wing Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate for the US presidential election.
This decision highlights a significant shift, as Vance was once a harsh critic of Trump but has since become one of his most loyal supporters in Congress.
Trump, now 78, made this announcement at the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee, an event marked by the recent assassination attempt on his life. Vance, 39, is seen as a representative of a new populist movement that has emerged under Trump’s influence.
He supports Trump’s isolationist and anti-immigration America First policies and is more conservative than Trump on several issues, including advocating for federal legislation on abortion.
Vance’s political rise began with his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” which detailed his Appalachian family background and modest Rust Belt upbringing, resonating with rural, working-class Americans.
However, his past criticisms of Trump, where he labeled him as an “idiot,” “noxious,” and even compared him to “America’s Hitler,” have been points of contention. Despite this, Vance has rebranded himself as a staunch Trump supporter, securing Trump’s crucial endorsement in the 2022 Ohio Senate race.
Trump’s announcement was overshadowed by the recent attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally, where a bystander was killed, and two others were injured.
Despite this, the convention in Milwaukee proceeded, drawing around 50,000 Republicans. Trump, undeterred, vowed to continue his campaign, addressing the attack and emphasizing his defiance against what he called “wickedness.”
Trump, leading in several polls despite his conviction in a hush-money case in New York, expressed confidence. Meanwhile, Biden, at 81, faces growing calls within his party to step down due to concerns about his age.
In another legal victory for Trump, a judge dismissed a criminal case against him regarding the retention of top-secret documents after leaving the White House.
Trump called for the dismissal of all legal cases against him, claiming political targeting.
Trump also hinted at a strong critique of Biden’s administration in his upcoming speech as the official Republican nominee. Despite the attack, Trump aims to unite the country, although his calls for supporters to “fight” right after the attack reveal his combative nature.
The convention in Milwaukee, heavily influenced by Trump’s branding with slogans like “Make America Great Once Again,” underscores his dominance in the Republican Party.
Over the past four years, Trump has reshaped Republican politics, installing loyalists like his daughter-in-law Lara Trump in key positions within the Republican National Committee, effectively silencing dissent.
The convention is also a family event, with speeches from Lara Trump and Trump’s sons, Don Jr. and Eric, scheduled to address the delegates.
Credit: AFP
