Before the transition of power: Who is JD Vance? This is what you need to know about the US vice president

When JD Vance was chosen to be Donald Trump’s man at the Republican convention this summer, the room went wild. The best-selling author and his wife Usha took a long bath in the cheering crowd. No matter who you asked at the mega-event in the American Midwest, everyone seemed to agree: Vance is the right man for the office of Vice President. In the weeks that followed, it looked as if the mood was changing.

The thing with the cat women

Old statements in which the politician described Democratic politicians as “childless cat women” caused a stir. Even superstar Taylor Swift took up the Republican’s statement. “With love and hope, childless cat woman,” the singer captioned her Instagram post, in which she supported Democrat Kamala Harris. Some people said that the senator from Ohio was a worse running mate than the once hapless Sarah Palin, whom Republican presidential candidate John McCain chose in 2008.

But that was only one side of the coin. The 40-year-old gave interviews primarily to male podcasters – and their audience apparently had no problem with Vance’s various misogynistic statements. And in a TV debate with Democratic running mate Tim Walz, Vance, who is actually considered a rhetorical agitator, was noticeably tame. After the Republican’s appearance in the US state of Arizona, a supporter praised his “humble roots”.

The elite university graduate from the working class

What is he referring to? Vance once celebrated success with his memoirs “Hillbilly Elegy.” In the book he describes his youth in difficult family circumstances and poverty. He used his origins in the election campaign to portray himself as a representative of the common people. In this story, his law studies at an elite university, his subsequent career as an investor and his proximity to billionaires in Silicon Valley were often ignored. Vance ultimately entered the Senate in 2023, making him still a political newcomer in some ways.

He frequently promotes the conspiracy theory that Democrats want to replace America’s “traditional” electorate with people from Latin America. He is married to the lawyer Usha Vance, daughter of Indian immigrants. The couple met during college, married in 2014 and have three children together.

Second Lady Usha Vance is more in the background

Until her husband was named vice presidential candidate, the 39-year-old worked as a lawyer in a law firm that specialized, among other things, in tort claims and represented large companies. The future Second Lady was not in the spotlight during the election campaign, but defended her husband against criticism. She made her big appearance at the party conference in Milwaukee – but the audience only laughed and clapped politely during her speech, much more restrained than with other speakers.

The couple is now moving into their official residence in the US capital Washington. Since 1977, US vice presidents have lived in a house on the grounds of the Naval Observatory, about two miles from the White House. How much Vance will have to report under Trump remains unclear. In recent weeks it has seemed more as if tech billionaire Elon Musk was the man at Trump’s side.