Donald Trump Has Officially Found a Running Mate as Extreme as He Is
Donald Trump has officially appointed U.S. Senator J.D. Vance as his Republican running mate. Although Vance may have been critical of Trump in the past, one look at his political positions will confirm he’s essentially Trump 2.0.
Trump’s decision to appoint a politician with as extreme views as him has both pros and cons. On the one hand, his decision could be a good thing as it certainly won’t win him over any new voters. The extremists whom Vance appeals to are already firmly behind Trump, and his appointment will only likely turn away moderator voters, which are the votes Trump needs most. At the same time, if Trump wins the election despite the unsavory duo of him and Vance, it paints a bleak picture for America’s future. Although Trump can’t run for a third term, he’ll have a Vice President thoroughly steeped in the MAGA movement to carry on his legacy in the next election.
Hence, it’s important that those moderator voters recognize how extreme Vance is. His views are eerily close to the vision outlined in Project 2025, which essentially seeks to dismantle democracy in America. He has an especially dark idea of what women’s rights should look like in the country.
Breaking down J.D. Vance’s far-right views
Vance’s most horrific political positions are concerning women’s rights. Since Trump became the Republican party’s presumptive 2024 nominee, much fear has arisen that he’ll instate a nationwide abortion ban. While he has denied that this is his goal, his running mate has shown interest in such a ban. During a debate with Tim Ryan, Vance expressed his support of “a national standard” to ban abortions after 15 weeks. Additionally, he has solidified his extremism on the topic of abortion by opposing rape and incest exceptions for abortion laws. When questioned about abortion in these circumstances, he chillingly stated, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” He followed up by insisting abortion is only “about the baby” and not women.
Vance has also stated women should stay in abusive relationships. He is among the conservatives who believe all this country’s problems will be solved if everyone gets married and has children. While speaking at Pacifica Christian High School, Vance criticized how frequently people “shift spouses” and blamed the Sexual Revolution for this. At one point, he implied it was wrong for the Sexual Revolution to give people the idea that they’d be happier leaving marriages that were “maybe even violent.” He has also pointed to his grandparents, whom he acknowledged had an abusive relationship before reconciling, as an example Americans should follow. These comments are troubling, considering conservatives have already been taking steps to make it more difficult for women to secure a divorce.
Unsurprisingly, Vance is also against the LGBTQ+ community. He opposes the Respect for Marriage Act and has proposed the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, which would enact a federal ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors. Performance of such procedures would result in doctors facing Class C felony charges, while the bill would also put a stop to taxpayer funding for gender reassignment care. He also supports banning the acknowledgment of the LGBTQ+ community in classrooms and has spread false information, labeling supporters of the community “child groomers.”
To top it off, he has abhorrent views on immigration and foreign policy. He has been at the forefront of Republican dissent against aid to Ukraine, showing complete difference to the country’s plight. Yet, he supports aid to Israel in the Israel-Hamas War. Meanwhile, he supports pouring billions into Trump’s wall and has promoted the white supremacist Great Replacement Theory, claiming that Democrats support immigration so they can “replace the voters that are already here.” Vance also doesn’t believe in climate change.
Vance’s views show that he is wholly aligned with the president’s extremism and would likely be open to enforcing Project 2025. He has even publicly thanked the Heritage Foundation, the organization behind Project 2025, for contributing to “conservative policies.” Trump has found a running mate as extreme as he is, making his potential presidency even scarier.
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