Donald Trump Jr. Reportedly Helped Dad Pick ‘Bestie’ J.D. Vance as VP Candidate

US Senator from Ohio and 2024 Republican vice-president candidate J. D. Vance (R) chats with Donald Trump Jr. (C) during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024. Donald Trump won formal nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and picked a right-wing loyalist for running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of last weekend's failed assassination attempt. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)




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Donald Trump’s oldest son Don Jrreportedly was a big part of the reason his daddy chose Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate. It’s been revealed that Don Jr., 46, is a close pal of the Hillbilly Elegy author, 39, according to a story from Page Six on Monday, July 15. Not only that, the former president’s son is also considering a future run for office alongside Vance.

Shortly after Trump, 78, announced that the Ohio senator would be his running mate, an insider told the outlet that Don Jr. helped convince his father to choose Vance as his vice presidential candidate. “Don Jr. and Vance are besties now,” the source said. “Rumor is that people are thinking Don Jr. could get on the ticket as VP in 2028.”

Vance has had quite the transformation from being a “Never Trump” Republican to now being his running mate. After the author began his run for Senate, he acknowledged that Trump was the “leader of this movement” in a July 2021 interview with Time. “If I actually care about these people and the things I say I care about, I need to just suck it up and support him,” he said. Don Jr. later took to social media to show support for Vance and said that he was a supporter of his dad, per The New York Times

Trump announced Vance as his running mate in a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, July 15. “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” he said. 

Following the announcement, Vance shared his excitement to run on X (formerly Twitter). “Just overwhelmed with gratitude. What an honor it is to run alongside President Donald J. Trump. He delivered peace and prosperity once, and with your help, he’ll do it again,” he wrote. “Onward to victory!”