Trump Accidentally Admits He Doesn't Care About JD Vance (& We Know Elon Was Loving It)
Everyone seemed to be having a grand time at Donald Trump's pre-inauguration rally, but it might be safe to say that JD Vance wasn't, thanks to Trump accidentally admitting that he doesn't care about him much at all. Elon Musk, on the other hand, was basking in the spotlight, since Trump invited him onto the stage with great fanfare to deliver a speech. Musk was accompanied by his four-year-old son, X, who was a real crowd-pleaser, and the billionaire doubled down on his promises "to [make] a lot of changes" (via ABC News). As he left the stage, Trump quipped, " I always say we have to be protective of our geniuses because we don't have too many. But that one is a good one." He went on to sing Musk's praises. Had the country not known that JD is Trump's vice president, one would have assumed it to be Musk.
When Trump finally did remember that JD exists, the evening was nearing its end. "I want to thank our next Vice President of the United States, JD Vance," Trump said (via NBC News), looking around at the crowd and failing to spot his running mate before unceremoniously continuing, "Wherever he may be ... wherever the hell he is. He's here someplace." Trump blamed the big crowd for being unable to locate JD, then called him "extraordinary" before swiftly moving on to praise his wife, Usha Vance, instead. Ouch.
As seen at the rally, the new president's attitude toward the two men couldn't be more different. While rumors that Trump's bromance with Musk would go down in flames in no time ran rampant after the election, it seems the opposite is true.
There were rumors that Trump regretted picking Vance as his running mate
It's no secret that JD Vance and Donald Trump have had a complicated relationship over the years, and soon after Trump selected Vance as his running mate, rumors were rife that he had buyer's remorse. Several political scientists told Business Insider that Trump had reason to regret his choice after former President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the race and endorsing Kamala Harris for the Democratic ticket.
The Trump camp denied these rumors. "It's 100 percent not true," Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita told Fox News Radio (via The Hill). "They [Trump and Vance] talk two, three times a day at least." Referring to Vance, LaCivita later added, "He's been a great partner."
It seems Trump's talking more to Elon Musk these days, however, and the latter is probably loving all the attention. In fact, some Democrats have even dubbed him the real president, speculating that Trump is merely the tech billionaire's puppet. Some outlets, like Reuters, have questioned whether Musk should be referred to as Trump's "co-president," given the amount of attention he receives from the divisive politician as opposed to Vance, who is supposed to be the one sharing the spotlight with Trump.