Don Jr.'s Sidelining From Trump Campaign Proves He's Being Punished For JD Vance

JD Vance has unofficially been dubbed the worst VP pick since Sarah Palin. Apart from his rather odd personality the Ohio senator's barely disguised misogyny — perhaps best exemplified by his shockingly archaic views on motherhood — has somehow managed to alienate female voters even further from Donald Trump. Vance's involvement has been so chaotic that many have humorously wondered if he is secretly a political plant to sink the GOP ticket. The "Hillbilly Elegy" author's influence on the campaign was especially obvious during the first debate between Donald and Kamala Harris. Vance was one of the first to spread the false claims of pets being eaten by Haitian immigrants in his home state, which made the former president a nationwide laughingstock when he mentioned it onstage.

With Vance flopping so badly, it's no surprise that his boss is now regretting his choice of running mate — and placing much of the blame on his son, Donald Trump Jr., who was friends with Vance and promoted him as a smart VP pick. Unfortunately for Don Jr., the fallout has been anything but subtle. His last significant public speech was at the RNC, almost two months ago, when Vance was announced. This is a far cry from the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, where he was a regular at rallies and major events. Now, Don Jr. has been relegated to significantly less relevant appearances, such as the Patriots' Day Freedom Fest.

The tension in Donald Trump and JD Vance's complicated relationship is becoming increasingly tough to ignore, thanks in large part to notable slip-ups from both parties. Back in August, Vance accidentally admitted that Trump didn't want to be seen with him. The senator explained to NBC News that his running mate decided they shouldn't be in the same place "unless it's a really big event." Vance's interpretation was that the former president trusted and respected him completely, but Trump's comments during the debate make this idea hard to believe.

When moderator Linsey Davis reminded the divisive politician that Vance had previously confirmed he wouldn't sign an abortion ban, Trump swiftly threw his running mate under the bus with a tense and dismissive response: "Well, I didn't discuss it with JD, in all fairness. [...] I don't mind if he has a certain view, but I think he was speaking for me, but I really didn't... Look, we don't have to discuss it," (via YouTube). Considering that the Republican candidate continues to make a big deal about loyalty, maybe his VP's previous criticisms are still a sore spot for him.