Since President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, he has celebrated with public appearances alongside his closest allies, but Vice President-elect JD Vance has been notably absent from the festivities. The Ohio senator, was selected as Trump’s running mate at the Republican National Convention in July, a choice that was initially met with enthusiasm by figures like Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, as well as tech mogul Elon Musk. Musk described the ticket as one that “resounds with victory.”
However, Vance’s path to the vice-presidency has not been without controversy. He faced sharp criticism for making inflammatory remarks about “childless cat ladies” and calling Kamala Harris a “demon.” He also drew backlash for comments about Haitian immigrants supposedly eating domestic pets in rural Ohio, and for his past appearances in drag. Additionally, Vance’s position on key issues seemed to differ from Trump’s, raising questions about their alignment on policy.
Despite these controversies, Vance’s performance during his debate against Democratic nominee Tim Walz earned praise from many, including pundits and critics alike, who called it one of the best debate performances by a Republican in recent memory. His support for Trump’s candidacy helped boost his favorability, especially after he publicly affirmed his belief in the legitimacy of Trump’s campaign.
Trump, speaking at his victory rally at Mar-a-Lago, seemed to endorse his vice-presidential pick, saying, “He turned out to be a good choice. I took a little heat at the beginning, but I knew the brain was a good one— as good as it gets.”
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However, while Trump has been surrounded by a new circle of prominent figures since his 2016 campaign, Vance has remained notably absent. At a recent UFC event in New York, Trump mingled with allies like Musk, Speaker Mike Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services), and Tulsi Gabbard (Trump’s nominee for head of U.S. Intelligence Services). Other key figures like Vivek Ramaswamy and podcaster Joe Rogan were also seen alongside Trump. Yet, Vance was nowhere to be found. This absence, coupled with a viral photo of Trump enjoying a Big Mac and Coke, left many online asking, “Where is JD Vance?”
In some ways, Vance’s absence from the spotlight echoes Vice President Kamala Harris’s own struggles during the Biden administration, where her favorability lagged behind figures like Dick Cheney, in part due to her handling of immigration policies. As Vance stays out of the public eye, questions arise about whether he might follow a similar path, becoming a more obscure figure over the course of the next few years.
Vance’s last public appearance was days ago at Mar-a-Lago, where he was seen spending time alone with his wife, Usha, and their three children, with no sign of Trump’s inner circle. Since then, Vance has vanished from the public eye, leaving many to question his role in the upcoming administration and whether he will remain on the periphery of Trump’s inner circle.
