Trump taps J.D. Vance for VP, sparks controversy on Ukraine

During his speech following the official nomination, J.D. Vance called on Americans to send Donald Trump back to the White House. He also shared the story of his difficult childhood to convey that his party best understands the challenges facing Americans.

Vance said that the country needs leaders "who would put America first." He also emphasized that Trump would "achieve the extraordinary vision" for the US while simultaneously criticizing Biden's policies.

Vance argued that his American dream is to be "a good husband and a good dad". "I wanted to give my kids the things that I didn’t have when I was growing up," he said at the Republican convention.

J.D. Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio, on August 2, 1984. He spent part of his childhood in Kentucky and grew up in the so-called "Rust Belt." He described his childhood in his bestselling book "Hillbilly Elegy."

His parents divorced when he was six years old. His father left the family, and his mother struggled with alcohol and drug addiction.

From 2003 to 2007, he served in the Marine Corps and pursued studies at Ohio State University and Yale Law School. In the following years, he became involved in politics.

"This is a disaster for Ukraine," said a high-ranking EU official in an interview with Politico, commenting on the selection of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as the vice-presidential candidate.

In a 2022 interview, Vance stated that "he doesn’t care what happens to Ukraine." In his first interview after being chosen as the U.S. vice-presidential candidate, Vance suggested that the current administration might lead to nuclear war. "I gotta be honest with you, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another. (Trump would negotiate to) bring this thing to a rapid close so America can focus on the real issue, which is China," he said.