Days after Donald Trump started his second term alongside JD Vance as his second-in-command, the latter’s past is coming back to threaten his role as the Vice President of the US.
Ironically, Trump had faced obstacles when he announced his decision to pick JD Vance as the vice president. This time, old texts sent by Vance slamming Trump have been exposed, bringing his wife and Second Lady Usha Vance under fire as well.
Sofia Nelson, a former classmate of Vice President JD Vance, has released a series of texts and emails that bring to attention a starkly contrasting and critical picture of Vance’s views on Donald Trump before his rise to political prominence.
The messages date back to 2014-2016 and reveal Vance’s disdain for Trump’s rhetoric and policies. It includes accusations of racism and concerns about the impact of Trump’s leadership on marginalized communities.
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The leaked messages have also brought attention to Usha Vance, JD Vance’s wife, who is of Indian heritage. Critics and observers are questioning the potential of her influence as the Second Lady in Trump’s administration, as the latter has previously faced backlash due to his immigration policies and selective targeting of communities of color.
It also must be noted that Sofia Nelson is a transwoman. Her relationship with Vance went downhill in 2021 over his support for Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming care.
The messages that she has spilled include 90 text and email exchanges. The texts clearly show Vance expressing firm opposition to Donald Trump’s rhetoric, even calling it racist and harmful.
In one email from 2015, shared with The New York Times, Vance wrote: “I’m obviously outraged at Trump’s rhetoric, and I worry most of all about how welcome Muslim citizens feel in their own country. But I also think that people have always believed crazy stuff. And there have always been demagogues willing to exploit the people who believe crazy stuff.”
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JD Vance also warned in his communications that Trump’s rise would not be a very pleasant thing for black Americans. He stated: “Black people will suffer as a result of white voters backing Trump.” His skepticism of Donald Trump extended to the 2016 presidential election, where he admitted to Nelson that he didn’t cast a vote, believing Hillary Clinton would win and reasoning that “I could never support Trump if it really mattered.”
Sofia Nelson leaked these private exchanges, and her move was primarily due to a growing disillusionment with Vance’s political trajectory.
According to Nelson, the texts and emails clearly contradict Vance’s current equation with President Trump. The revelations are enough to reignite questions about Vance’s authenticity and commitment to Donald Trump’s far-right policies.
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The scrutiny on Usha Vance has grown sharper following far-right attacks on her background. There are even concerns about how the administration’s stance on immigration may stand as a stern conflict with her heritage.
The content of these leaked messages is just the opposite of Vance’s current position as Trump’s vice president. Many have started pointing fingers at his apparent shift in values.
Meanwhile, Usha Vance’s potential influence is under the radar, too, as the public keeps scrutinizing it. Surely the coming months will have a major role in shaping the political and personal dynamics of this presidency.
Amidst these tensions, how JD Vance reconciles his past views with his present role remains a question on many minds.
