Career Timeline of JD Vance: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how JD Vance made an impact.

J.D. Vance is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran currently serving as the 50th Vice President of the United States since 2025. A Republican, he previously represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 2023 to 2025. As Vice President, he also holds the position of finance chair of the Republican National Committee.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2003: Joined the United States Marine Corps

In 2003, Vance joined the United States Marine Corps and served as a military journalist.

2005: Deployed to Iraq War

In 2005, Vance was deployed to the Iraq War for six months, serving in a non-combat role.

2007: Left Marine Corps

In 2007, Vance ended his service in the United States Marine Corps.

2010: Entered Yale Law School

In 2010, Vance entered Yale Law School and started writing for FrumForum.

2014: Vance's Communications Exposed

From 2014 to 2017, a former friend of JD Vance's from Yale Law School exposed to the media communications between them and Vance. The friend alleged that Vance has changed his opinion on issues in pursuit of political power and wealth.

June 2016: Published Hillbilly Elegy

In June 2016, Harper published Vance's book, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Check it on Amazon

December 2016: Planned Move to Ohio and Considered Starting Nonprofit

In December 2016, Vance planned to move to Ohio and considered starting a nonprofit or running for office.

2016: Joined Mithril Capital

In 2016, Vance served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.

2016: Published Hillbilly Elegy

In 2016, Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, was published.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Check it on Amazon

March 2017: Joined AppHarvest Board

From March 2017 to April 2021, Vance served on the board of directors of AppHarvest.

April 2017: Signed on to direct Hillbilly Elegy film

In April 2017, Ron Howard signed on to direct the film version of Hillbilly Elegy.

2017: Vance's Communications Exposed

2017: Formed Our Ohio Renewal Foundation

In 2017, Vance formed Our Ohio Renewal Foundation.

2017: Joined Revolution LLC

In 2017, Vance joined Revolution LLC to expand the Rise of the Rest initiative.

2017: Started Our Ohio Renewal

In 2017, Vance started Our Ohio Renewal, an advocacy organization.

2017: Principal at Mithril Capital

In 2017, Vance was a principal at Peter Thiel's Mithril Capital.

2018: CNN Contributor

In 2018, Vance was a CNN contributor.

2018: Considered Running for U.S. Senate

In early 2018, Vance considered running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown but did not.

2019: Co-founded Rockbridge Network and Narya Capital

In 2019, Vance co-founded the Rockbridge Network and Narya Capital.

2019: Board of Advisors of With Honor Fund

In 2019, Vance served on the board of advisors of the With Honor Fund.

November 11, 2020: Released on Netflix

On November 11, 2020, Hillbilly Elegy was released on Netflix for streaming.

2020: Vance's Podcast Interview Resurfaces

After backlash to the Fox News interview, additional comments that Vance had made in interviews about childless people resurfaced. In a 2020 podcast interview, he said that being childless makes people more sociopathic and ultimately our whole country a little bit less, less mentally stable.

2020: Raised Funds for Narya Capital

During 2020, Vance raised $93 million for Narya Capital.

2020: American Moment Board of Advisors

In 2020, Vance became a member of the board of advisors of American Moment.

2020: Hillbilly Elegy Adapted into Film

In 2020, Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, was adapted into a film.

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2020: Vance on 2020 Election

In October 2024, JD Vance said he did not believe Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and that he believed Big Tech rigged the election through censorship.

March 2021: Vance on Childless Teachers

In March 2021 interview on The Charlie Kirk Show that childless people should be taxed at a higher rate than those with children, adding that the U.S. should "reward the things that we think are good" and "punish the things that we think are bad".

March 2021: Thiel's Support for Vance Candidacy

In March 2021, Peter Thiel gave $10 million to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC supporting a potential Vance candidacy.

April 2021: Left AppHarvest Board

From March 2017 to April 2021, Vance served on the board of directors of AppHarvest.

July 1, 2021: Announced Senate Campaign

On July 1, 2021, Vance announced his Senate campaign in Ohio.

2021: Thiel Introduces Trump to Vance

In 2021, Peter Thiel first introduced Donald Trump to JD Vance.

2021: Vance's 2021 Fox News Interview Resurfaces

Shortly after being named Trump's running mate, JD Vance was criticized for saying in a 2021 Fox News interview that the country is effectively run by Democrats, corporate oligarchs, and miserable, childless cat ladies.

May 3, 2022: Won Republican Primary

On May 3, 2022, Vance won the Republican primary with 32% of the vote.

2022: Sacks and Thiel Support Vance's Senate Campaign

In 2022, David Sacks gave a super PAC supporting JD Vance's Senate campaign $900,000, and Peter Thiel added $15 million.

2022: Won U.S. Senate Election in Ohio

In 2022, Vance won the United States Senate election in Ohio, defeating Democratic nominee Tim Ryan.

January 3, 2023: Sworn into the Senate

On January 3, 2023, Vance was sworn into the Senate as a member of the 118th United States Congress.

January 2023: Served as Ohio Senator

From January 2023 to January 2025, Vance served as Ohio's senator.

January 31, 2023: Vance Endorses Trump

On January 31, 2023, JD Vance publicly endorsed former president Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.

2023: Became U.S. Senator for Ohio

In 2023, Vance represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate until 2025.

2023: Advisor of American Moment

In 2023, he served on the board of advisors of American Moment.

May 15, 2024: Trump and Vance Attend Fundraising Dinner

On May 15, 2024, Donald Trump attended a $50,000 per head private fundraising dinner with JD Vance in Cincinnati.

July 15, 2024: Trump Chooses Vance as Running Mate

On July 15, 2024, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had chosen JD Vance as his running mate for the upcoming election.

July 2024: Selected as Trump's Running Mate

In July 2024, Trump selected Vance as his running mate before the Republican National Convention.

July 2024: Vance's Approval Rating

In July 2024, a CNN poll analysis after the Republican National Convention showed a net-negative approval rating for JD Vance. Concerns about Vance's public reception led some to question his selection as a running mate.

July 2024: Vance on Kamala Harris

In late July 2024, after Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy and Kamala Harris became a presidential candidate, JD Vance said that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden and is not struggling in the same ways.

July 26, 2024: Vance Clarifies Remarks on The Megyn Kelly Show

On July 26, 2024, JD Vance clarified his remarks from the 2021 Fox News interview on The Megyn Kelly Show, stating it wasn't a criticism of people who don't have children but about criticizing the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child.

August 2024: Vance on Trump's Abortion Ban Veto

In August 2024, JD Vance stated that Donald Trump had explicitly said he would veto a national abortion ban.

August 2024: Vance Interview on Vice President's Role

In August 2024, following criticism of his past remarks, JD Vance said that a vice president doesn't really matter and that Kamala Harris has been a bad vice president.

August 2024: Vance Supports Increased Child Tax Credit

In an August 2024 interview on Face the Nation, JD Vance said he supported increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child, even though his Senate Republican colleagues had blocked an expanded child tax credit two weeks earlier while he was absent for the vote.

September 2024: Vance's Allegations of Immigrant Activity

In September 2024, JD Vance made allegations of Haitian illegal immigrants draining social services and causing chaos in Springfield, Ohio, with reports of pets being abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in the country.

September 2024: Trump Responds to Vance's Statement

In September 2024, during his debate with Kamala Harris, Donald Trump responded to JD Vance's statement about the veto, stating that he didn't discuss it with JD and that he thought Vance was speaking for him.

September 2024: Vance Speaks at Town Hall Event

In late September 2024, JD Vance spoke at a western Pennsylvania town hall event organized by Lance Wallnau, who has promoted election denialism and called Kamala Harris a demon.

October 1, 2024: Vice Presidential Debate

On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the vice presidential debate was held at 9:00 p.m. EDT at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

October 2024: Post-Debate Poll Results

After the October 2024 vice-presidential debate, a CBS News/YouGov poll found that JD Vance's favorability rose from 40% to 49%, and his unfavorability dropped from 54% to 47%.

October 2024: Vance on 2020 Election

In October 2024, JD Vance said he did not believe Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and that he believed Big Tech rigged the election through censorship.

2024: Zelenskyy Visit to Pennsylvania

After the February 28, 2025 meeting between Vance, Trump and Zelenskyy, Vance falsely said Zelenskyy went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October 2024; Zelenskyy had actually visited a factory to thank workers producing ammunition for Ukraine, though the timing of the visit and separately calling Vance "too radical" raised suspicion among Republicans.

January 2025: End of US Senate term

January 2025 marks the end of Vance's term as US Senator.

January 20, 2025: Vance Becomes Vice President

At noon on January 20, 2025, JD Vance became the 50th vice president of the United States, sworn into office by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

February 2025: Vance on Executive Power

In February 2025, after multiple federal judges issued temporary rulings against various Trump administration actions, JD Vance wrote that judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power.

February 2025: Vance at Munich Security Conference

In his February 2025 speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), JD Vance called the threat from within his biggest concern in terms of security for Europe, not Russia, not China.

February 20, 2025: Vance's Favorability Rating

As of February 20, 2025, according to FiveThirtyEight, JD Vance's overall favorability was 40.7% and his unfavorability was 42.5%.

February 28, 2025: Vance and Trump Meet with Zelenskyy

On February 28, 2025, JD Vance and Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House's Oval Office in front of journalists in an internationally broadcast event. Vance answered a question about Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke about diplomacy.

March 2025: Vance Visits Greenland

In March 2025 JD Vance, in a first for a sitting U.S. vice president, visited Greenland, where he discussed the U.S.'s interest in acquiring Greenland and warned about the encroachment of China and Russia.