Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) will deliver the keynote speech at the RNC on Wednesday night, marking his first full-length public appearance after Donald Trump selected him as a vice presidential candidate.
Vance has made the transition, at once remarkable and utterly familiar, over the past eight years from comparing Trump to “cultural heroin” to now fervently helping to sell him to the masses. He’s ambitious, a quality demonstrated by more than his shift to supporting Trump: since being elected to the Senate in 2022, he’s articulated an aggressive agenda that includes deprioritizing support for Ukraine in favor of China, imposing a tariff on all imports, and ceasing federal efforts to support the transition to green energy.
A lot of this is relatively standard GOP policy, dressed up in the belligerent and aggrieved tone of modern Trumpism. It’s not clear what favor Vance’s policy preferences will even have in the White House. If Trump’s first term was any indication, he’ll rule largely on whim. Besides, look what happened to Vance’s predecessor.
We’ll be following along below:
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What To Expect
Wednesday night’s theme will be foreign policy, after Tuesday focused on immigration.
Per a schedule posted online, the RNC will kickstart events at 5:30 p.m. CT, with Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) giving a speech. Trump-era acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell will speak, along with both Gingriches (Callista and Newt). Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Ronny Jackson (R-TX) will also speak.
The Trump-era GOP has come to regard immigration as a national security issue; fittingly, former acting ICE director Thomas Homan is slated to speak Wednesday evening as well, along with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
Two reps from the Trump bloodline will precede Vance’s keynote: granddaughter Kai Trump and her father, Don. Jr.
Vance himself is expected to begin speaking during the 9:00 p.m. CT hour.
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Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) will deliver the keynote speech at the RNC on Wednesday night, marking his first full-length public appearance after Donald Trump selected him as a vice presidential candidate.
Vance has made the transition, at once remarkable and utterly familiar, over the past eight years from comparing Trump to “cultural heroin” to now fervently helping to sell him to the masses. He’s ambitious, a quality demonstrated by more than his shift to supporting Trump: since being elected to the Senate in 2022, he’s articulated an aggressive agenda that includes deprioritizing support for Ukraine in favor of China, imposing a tariff on all imports, and ceasing federal efforts to support the transition to green energy.
A lot of this is relatively standard GOP policy, dressed up in the belligerent and aggrieved tone of modern Trumpism. It’s not clear what favor Vance’s policy preferences will even have in the White House. If Trump’s first term was any indication, he’ll rule largely on whim. Besides, look what happened to Vance’s predecessor.
We’ll be following along below:
