JD Vance’s critics thought he was a joke. His political ruthlessness was serious

He was dismissed as a liability for the presidential campaign, ridiculed by political rivals as "strange," falsely speculated to have had an inappropriate encounter with a sofa, and criticized as a sexist for referring to women without kids as “cat ladies without children.”

Now JD Vance, who has been the target of numerous jokes from Democrats and liberals due to his clumsy public speaking style and various other reasons, has flipped the script on those who criticize him.

Donald Trump's decisive victory in the election positions the 40-year-old senator from Ohio just a step away from becoming president, working alongside a leader who is 78 years old and has survived two unsuccessful attempts on his life.

It's an incredible leap for someone who was elected to the Senate only two years ago, and now he is on the verge of becoming the third-youngest individual ever to serve as vice president in the history of the United States.

While Trump's rivals and numerous critics fear his comeback to the Oval Office and the authority that comes with it, the prospect of Vance being in the background offers little comfort to them.

Certainly! Here’s a rewritten version of that section: In fact, the credentials of the vice president-elect within the MAGA movement are more substantial and authentic compared to those of Mike Pence. Pence was a steadfast supporter of Trump during his initial term in office, but ultimately diverged from the party line and rejected calls to join the attempt to reverse the results of the 2020 election.

It's difficult to picture Vance, who was previously a strong critic of Trump and labeled him as “America’s Hitler” and “cultural heroin,” displaying this level of defiance towards his superior.

Vance completely abandoned his earlier criticisms, openly supporting his selection as the vice-presidential candidate, which was endorsed by the president-elect's son, Don Jr. He was also backed by prominent figures loyal to Trump, including the far-right commentator Tucker Carlson and tech tycoons Elon Musk and Peter Thiel.

The writer of Hillbilly Elegy, a popular memoir about his childhood in Ohio amidst family struggles with drug addiction, has come to represent and express Trump’s economic and nationalist populism that aims to resonate with working-class voters.

One clear example of his far-right beliefs is his strong ties to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington that was responsible for creating Project 2025. This ambitious plan aimed at transforming the U.S. government and society, but Trump distanced himself from it last summer when he realized it could negatively impact his voter support.

Despite this, a lot of the concepts, particularly the extreme restrictions on reproductive rights, still persist among Trump supporters, including Vance, who has stated in the past that he wants to see a national ban on abortion.

Vance maintains a strong connection with Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, for whom he penned a bold introduction for an upcoming book.

In terms of foreign policy, the future vice president shares views similar to Trump's, which may cause concern among allies. He once expressed his indifference towards Ukraine’s fate during a podcast with Steve Bannon, Trump’s former advisor, just days before Russia invaded the country in 2022.

However, Vance has demonstrated that he is a significant player in Trump’s sphere, not only through his thoughts and theories.

At first, Vance took his time adjusting to the role of running mate, feeling unsettled by the ridicule surrounding his previous remarks that might have caused the Republican nominee to question his decision. Reports suggest that Vance was actively seeking a topic he could focus on to demonstrate his value.

He came across it during the days leading up to Trump's debate with Harris in September—specifically, online rumors claiming that Haitian immigrants were eating family pets in Springfield, Ohio, where he grew up. Although local authorities had already discredited this story, Vance continued to promote it.

Word got to Trump, who was always looking for a way to promote his anti-immigration agenda. He famously brought it up during a debate, stating, "They’re eating the dogs; the newcomers are eating the cats."

When pressed by CNN for sharing a story that lacked supporting proof, Vance showed no signs of regret.

"If it means I need to tell compelling stories to grab the attention of the American media regarding the struggles faced by the people in the U.S., then that's exactly what I'll do," he stated.

He had successfully navigated the unforgiving nature of politics as exemplified by Trump.

As JD Vance gets ready for his time in the White House, any jokes his opponents made about him have likely come back to haunt them.

Check out additional coverage of the 2024 US election by the Guardian.

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