On Wednesday, Donald Trump asserted that the selection of Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate “will not have any impact” on the 2024 presidential race.
Trump made these comments during a tumultuous interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, addressing questions about his preparedness for the election. His remarks followed criticism directed at Vance, including his controversial “childless cat ladies” comment about Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite Vance’s low polling numbers as a vice presidential nominee in decades, Trump declined to comment on whether Vance would be adequately prepared to serve as Vice President if they won the November election.
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Trump expressed his continued respect for Vance, stating, “but…Historically, the vice president — in terms of the election — does not have any impact. I mean, virtually no impact.”
“Historically, the choice of the vice president makes no difference. You’re voting for the president,” the former President added.
Trump noted a possible exception with Lyndon Johnson’s ascent to the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, but clarified that this was due to “political reasons” rather than “vote reasons.”
Democrats and Social Media React
Trump praised Vance as “outstanding in every way” and emphasized that the Ohio Senator was a top choice due to his strong belief in the working man and woman.
Democrats quickly responded to Trump’s comments. Alex Floyd, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement, “The American people already knew JD Vance wasn’t fit to lead, and now it’s clear Donald Trump agrees with them.”
Social media reactions were mixed. One X user wrote, “Oh he really regrets picking JD Vance.” Another commented, “Ha! Next Trump will say, I hardly know that guy Vance, don’t think I ever met him. #TrumpGhosting.”
A third user remarked, “Clearly he’s trying to distance himself from the flawed JD Vance pick,” while another noted, “It’s a fact. The office of Vice-President is relatively powerless unless they play a role as the deciding vote in the Senate.”
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