History of JD Vance in Timeline
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.
August 2, 1984: Born in Middletown, Ohio
On August 2, 1984, James David Vance was born as James Donald Bowman in Middletown, Ohio.
August 2, 1984: James David Vance Born
On August 2, 1984, James David Vance, originally named James Donald Bowman, was born.
2003: Joined the United States Marine Corps
In 2003, Vance joined the United States Marine Corps and served as a military journalist.
2007: Left Marine Corps
In 2007, Vance ended his service in the United States Marine Corps.
2009: Graduated from Ohio State University
In 2009, Vance graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree.
2010: Entered Yale Law School
In 2010, Vance entered Yale Law School and started writing for FrumForum.
April 2013: Name Change
In April 2013, Vance changed his name to James David Vance.
May 2013: Graduated from Yale Law School
In May 2013, Vance obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Yale Law School.
2013: Vance meets Usha Chilukuri
In 2013, JD Vance met Usha Chilukuri while they were both students at Yale Law School.
2013: Graduated from Yale Law School
In 2013, Vance graduated from Yale Law School with a law degree.
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.
2014: Marriage
Hillbilly Elegy states that he adopted his grandparents' surname of Vance upon his marriage in 2014.
2014: Vance marries Usha Chilukuri
In 2014, JD Vance and Usha Chilukuri married in Kentucky in an interfaith marriage ceremony.
June 2016: Published Hillbilly Elegy
In June 2016, Harper published Vance's book, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.
September 2016: Vance considers Catholicism
By September 2016, JD Vance was "not an active participant" in any particular Christian denomination but was "thinking very seriously about converting to Catholicism".
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: Opposed Donald Trump's Candidacy
In 2016, Vance initially opposed Donald Trump's candidacy in the election.
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.
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
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.
2017: Hillbilly Elegy on Best Seller List
In 2017, Hillbilly Elegy remained on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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: Satel Residency
In 2018, Sally Satel had a yearlong residency in Ohio's Appalachian region for Our Ohio Renewal.
2018: Considered Running for U.S. Senate
In early 2018, Vance considered running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown but did not.
August 2019: Vance converts to Catholicism
In August 2019, JD Vance was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church in a ceremony at St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, Ohio, choosing Augustine of Hippo as his confirmation saint.
2019: ProPublica Investigation
According to a 2019 ProPublica investigation, the charity's accomplishment was tainted by ties among Satel, AEI, and Purdue Pharma.
2019: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation Spending Freeze
As of September 2024, the Our Ohio Renewal Foundation had not spent any funds since 2019.
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.
2020: Our Ohio Renewal Advisory Board
In 2020, the advisory board members of Our Ohio Renewal remained unchanged.
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: Our Ohio Renewal Closed
By 2021, Our Ohio Renewal closed with sparse achievements.
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: Senate Campaign and Charity Accusations
During Vance's 2022 U.S. Senate campaign, Tim Ryan accused his charity of being a front for his political ambitions.
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.
June 2023: Voted Against Debt Ceiling Increase
In June 2023, Vance voted against raising the debt ceiling, opposing the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
July 2023: Introduced Legislation Against Gender-Affirming Care
In July 2023, Vance and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced legislation that would have made gender-affirming care for minors a federal crime.
2023: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation Raised Funds
From 2017 to 2023, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation raised around $69,000.
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.
June 2024: Sponsored Dismantle DEI Act
In June 2024, Vance sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act, aiming to ban federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
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: Senate Speeches and Bills
Data from mid-July 2024 showed that Vance had made 45 Senate speeches and sponsored 57 legislative bills, none of which had passed the Senate.
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 backtracks on voting power suggestion
In August 2024, JD Vance backtracked from his suggestion that parents should have more voting power than non-parents.
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: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation Spending Freeze
As of September 2024, the Our Ohio Renewal Foundation had not spent any funds since 2019.
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: 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 3, 2025: End of term as Ohio Senator
January 3, 2025 marks the end of Vance's term as Ohio's junior senator.
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.
2025: Affiliation with Project 2025
From 2020 to 2023 he served on the board of advisors of American moment, which is affiliated with Project 2025.
2025: Heritage Foundation drafted Project 2025
In 2025, The Heritage Foundation, which drafted Project 2025, privately advocated for JD Vance to be Trump's vice-presidential pick.
2025: Became Vice President
In 2025, Vance became the 50th Vice President of the United States and also served as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee.
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