JD Vance Admits Being Trump's Running Mate Had Some Personal Consequences

In the 2024 election, Donald Trump chose JD Vance as his running mate — a role that Vance gladly accepted. Yet, when Trump ran for president the first time around back in 2016, Vance said he was "a 'Never Trump' guy" in an interview with Charlie Rose. Consequently, some folks were surprised that Vance not only changed his tune about Trump, but was even willing to join him on the presidential ticket. Apparently, even folks close to Vance were surprised by his change of heart. According to Vance, he has lost friends over his support for the divisive former president.

On Election Day 2024, Fox News' "America's Newsroom" showed a clip in which Vance spoke to members of the press in Ohio. He opened up about loved ones who have cut ties with him for his political beliefs in the past. "I know myself, I've had a lot of friends — not a lot — I've had a few friends who have cast their friendship aside because I decided that I wanted Donald J. Trump to be the winner in the last election, this election," the senator explained, adding, "I think that's a tragedy" (via Mediaite). Vance was clear about his goal to dissuade others from letting politics destroy relationships. In terms of folks who ended their friendships with him due to his support of Trump, Vance said that he is "not going to follow that example."

It was surprising to hear JD Vance acknowledge that his support for Donald Trump caused him to lose friends. It's suggestive that Vance shared this personal information to push for civility and unity amidst a contentious election. "My most important message is we ought to argue, disagree about, persuade each other about politics," Vance said (per Mediaite). "But we can't discard friends and we can't discard family members." He added, "If we all just recognize this basic principle that we ought to love people, we ought to be friends with people, we ought to be family members with people regardless of their politics — that would do a lot to heal the division." Vance asserted that, regardless of who you vote for, "remember friends and family, that stuff is what really, really matters."

It was somewhat ironic that Vance urged the public to "be kind to one another" and "treat each other with respect," since just the day prior, Vance used some not-so-kind-and-respectful language when speaking about Vice President Kamala Harris at an Atlanta campaign rally. Per Axios, the senator told the crowd, "In two days, we are going to take out the trash in Washington, D.C., and the trash's name is Kamala Harris." So, while Vance claims he wants the country to be less divided over politics, his own words just days apart indicate that, for him, this may be easier said than done.