History of JD Vance in Timeline
J.D. Vance is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who served as the 50th vice president of the United States and as a U.S. Senator representing Ohio from 2023 to 2025. Affiliated with the Republican Party, Vance also held the position of finance chair of the Republican National Committee while serving as vice president.
August 2, 1984: Birth of James David Vance
On August 2, 1984, James David Vance, originally named James Donald Bowman, was born. He is now known as an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who served as the 50th vice president of the United States.
2003: Enlistment in the Marine Corps
In 2003, J.D. Vance enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after graduating from Middletown High School.
2007: Studies at Ohio State University
In 2007, J.D. Vance left the military and began studying at Ohio State University using the G.I. Bill.
2009: Graduation from Ohio State University
In 2009, J.D. Vance graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and philosophy.
2010: Writing for FrumForum
From 2010, J.D. Vance wrote for David Frum's "FrumForum" website under the name J. D. Hamel.
2010: Entry to Yale Law School
In 2010, J.D. Vance entered Yale Law School and won a position on "The Yale Law Journal". Amy Chua persuaded him to write Hillbilly Elegy during his first year.
2011: Meeting with Peter Thiel
In 2011, J.D. Vance initiated a rapport with Peter Thiel after attending his talk at Yale.
April 2013: Legal Name Change
In April 2013, J.D. Vance legally changed his name, adopting his grandparents' surname of Vance.
May 2013: Graduation from Yale Law School
In May 2013, J.D. Vance obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School.
2013: Met Usha Chilukuri at Yale Law School
In 2013, J.D. Vance met Usha Chilukuri while they were both students at Yale Law School.
June 14, 2014: Married Usha Chilukuri
On June 14, 2014, J.D. Vance and Usha Chilukuri married in Kentucky in an interfaith ceremony. Jamil Jivani did a Bible reading and a Hindu pandit blessed the couple.
2014: Marriage and Surname Adoption
In 2014, J.D. Vance stated he adopted his grandparents' surname upon his marriage, although this occurred in April 2013.
2014: Communications Alleging Change in Opinion
In July 2024, a former friend of Vance's from Yale Law School exposed to the media communications between them and Vance from 2014 to 2017, with the friend alleging that Vance changed his opinion on several issues.
June 2016: Publication of Hillbilly Elegy
In June 2016, Harper published J.D. Vance's book, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis", recounting his Appalachian upbringing.
September 2016: Considering Converting to Catholicism
By September 2016, J.D. Vance was "not an active participant" in any particular Christian denomination, but was "thinking very seriously about converting to Catholicism".
December 2016: Plans to Move to Ohio
In December 2016, J.D. Vance announced plans to move to Ohio and consider starting a nonprofit or running for office.
2016: Joins Mithril Capital
In 2016, J.D. Vance became a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.
2016: Initial Opposition to Donald Trump
In 2016, J.D. Vance initially opposed Donald Trump's candidacy in the presidential election.
2016: Publication of Hillbilly Elegy
In 2016, J.D. Vance published his memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy", which became a bestseller and brought him national attention.
2016: Hillbilly Elegy publication
In 2016, Vance wrote about his Scots-Irish descent in his book.
March 2017: AppHarvest Board of Directors
From March 2017, J.D. Vance served on the board of directors of AppHarvest, an indoor vertical farming startup in Kentucky.
April 2017: Hillbilly Elegy Film Announced
In April 2017, Ron Howard signed on to direct the film version of Hillbilly Elegy.
2017: Bestseller and Media Attention
In 2017, "Hillbilly Elegy" remained on The New York Times Best Seller list, bringing Vance increased media attention.
2017: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation Formed
In 2017, J.D. Vance formed a similarly named 501(c)(3) organization, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation, which raised around $69,000 from 2017 to 2023.
2017: Joins Revolution LLC
In 2017, J.D. Vance joined Revolution LLC, an investment firm founded by Steve Case, tasked with expanding the "Rise of the Rest" initiative.
2017: Principal at Mithril Capital
In 2017, J.D. Vance served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.
2017: Founded Our Ohio Renewal
In 2017, J.D. Vance started Our Ohio Renewal, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on education and addiction.
2017: Communications Alleging Change in Opinion
In July 2024, a former friend of Vance's from Yale Law School exposed to the media communications between them and Vance from 2014 to 2017, with the friend alleging that Vance changed his opinion on several issues.
2018: Satel's Residency in Appalachia
In 2018, Sally Satel's yearlong residency in Ohio's Appalachian region was the charity's biggest accomplishment, but it was "tainted" by ties among Satel, AEI, and Purdue Pharma.
2018: Considered Running for Senate
In early 2018, J.D. Vance considered running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown but did not.
August 2019: Baptized and Confirmed in the Catholic Church
In August 2019, J.D. Vance was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church at St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, Ohio, choosing Augustine of Hippo as his confirmation saint.
2019: AP and ProPublica Investigation
According to a 2019 ProPublica investigation, the biggest accomplishment of Vance's charity, Our Ohio Renewal, was "tainted" by ties among Sally Satel, her employer, and Purdue Pharma.
2019: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation inactivity
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, J.D. Vance co-founded the conservative political advocacy group Rockbridge Network and venture capital firm Narya Capital.
2019: Advisory Board Member of With Honor Fund
In 2019, J.D. Vance served on the board of advisors of the With Honor Fund, a Super PAC supporting veteran political candidates.
November 11, 2020: Release of Hillbilly Elegy Film
On November 11, 2020, the film version of "Hillbilly Elegy" was released in select theaters and on Netflix.
2020: Advisory Board of American Moment
From 2020, J.D. Vance served on the board of advisors of American Moment, a networking and training organization for young conservatives.
2020: Raised Funds for Narya Capital
In 2020, J.D. Vance raised $93 million for Narya Capital.
2020: Our Ohio Renewal advisory board
In 2020, Keith Humphreys, Jamil Jivani, Yuval Levin, and Sally Satel remained on the advisory board of Our Ohio Renewal.
2020: Vance Claims of Rigged Election
In October 2024, J.D. Vance said he did not believe Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and believed Big Tech rigged the election through censorship.
2020: Childless People Sociopathic
In a 2020 podcast interview, Vance said that being childless "makes people more sociopathic and ultimately our whole country a little bit less, less mentally stable".
March 2021: Super PAC Support
In March 2021, Peter Thiel gave $10 million to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC created to support a potential J.D. Vance candidacy.
March 2021: Comments on Childless Teachers and Increased Taxes
In March 2021, Vance suggested childless teachers were "trying to brainwash the minds of our children", and that childless people should be taxed at a higher rate than those with children.
April 2021: Resignation from AppHarvest Board
In April 2021, J.D. Vance resigned from the board of directors of AppHarvest.
July 1, 2021: Announced Senate Campaign
On July 1, 2021, J.D. Vance announced his Senate campaign in Ohio.
2021: Closure of Our Ohio Renewal
By 2021, Our Ohio Renewal closed with sparse achievements.
2021: Introduction to Trump
In 2021, Peter Thiel introduced Donald Trump to J.D. Vance. Several media and industry figures advocated for Trump to choose Vance as his running mate.
2021: Comments on Childless Cat Ladies
Shortly after being named Trump's running mate, Vance was criticized for saying in a 2021 Fox News interview, "we are effectively run in this country via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too."
May 3, 2022: Won Republican Primary
On May 3, 2022, J.D. Vance won the Republican primary in Ohio with 32% of the vote.
2022: Criticism of Our Ohio Renewal
During J.D. Vance's 2022 U.S. Senate campaign, Tim Ryan criticized Our Ohio Renewal as a front for Vance's political ambitions.
2022: Sacks and Thiel Support Vance's Senate Campaign
In 2022, David Sacks gave a super PAC supporting Vance's Senate campaign $900,000, and Peter Thiel added $15 million.
2022: Election to the U.S. Senate
In 2022, J.D. Vance won the United States Senate election in Ohio, defeating Democratic nominee Tim Ryan.
2022: Cousin Volunteered to Fight for Ukraine
In 2022, Nate Vance, JD's cousin and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, volunteered to fight for Ukraine after Russia's invasion. He served in the "Da Vinci Wolves" unit.
January 3, 2023: Sworn into the Senate
On January 3, 2023, J.D. Vance was sworn into the Senate as a member of the 118th United States Congress.
January 2023: Start of Senate Term
In January 2023, J.D. Vance began serving as Ohio's senator.
January 31, 2023: Vance Endorses Donald Trump
On January 31, 2023, J.D. Vance endorsed former president Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.
June 2023: Voted against raising the debt ceiling
In June 2023, Senator J.D. Vance voted against raising the debt ceiling, opposing the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
July 2023: Introduced Legislation on Gender-Affirming Care
In July 2023, J.D. 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 Funding
From 2017 to 2023, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation raised around $69,000.
2023: AppHarvest Bankruptcy
In 2023, AppHarvest went bankrupt while owing over $340 million.
2023: Continued Service on American Moment Board
In 2023, J.D. Vance was still serving on the board of advisors for American Moment.
2023: Vance Represents Ohio in U.S. Senate
In 2023, James David Vance began representing Ohio in the U.S. Senate, holding the position until 2025.
May 15, 2024: Fundraising Dinner with Trump
On May 15, 2024, Donald Trump attended a $50,000 per head private fundraising dinner with J.D. Vance in Cincinnati, attended by guests including Chris Bortz and Republican fundraiser Nate Morris.
June 2024: Sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act
In June 2024, J.D. Vance sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act, which would ban federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
July 15, 2024: Trump Chooses Vance as Running Mate
On July 15, 2024, the first day of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had chosen J.D. Vance as his running mate for the upcoming election.
July 2024: Senate activity data
Data from mid-July 2024, shows J.D. Vance made 45 Senate speeches and sponsored 57 legislative bills.
July 2024: Selection as Running Mate
In July 2024, Donald Trump selected J.D. Vance as his running mate for the presidential election.
July 2024: Net-Negative Approval Rating for Vance
In July 2024, a CNN poll analysis after the Republican National Convention showed a net-negative approval rating for J.D. Vance, leading some to question his choice as running mate.
July 2024: Vance Comments on Kamala Harris
In late July 2024, after President Joe Biden withdrew from the election and Kamala Harris became a presidential candidate, J.D. Vance commented on Harris's political position.
July 26, 2024: Vance Clarifies Childless Cat Ladies Comments
On July 26, 2024, J.D. Vance clarified his 2021 remarks on The Megyn Kelly Show, saying, "It's not a criticism of people who don't have children" and "this is about criticizing the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child".
August 2024: Backtracked on Voting Power Suggestion
In August 2024, J.D. Vance backtracked from his previous suggestion that parents should have more voting power than non-parents.
August 2024: Vance States Trump would veto Abortion Ban
In August 2024, J.D. Vance said that Donald Trump "said that explicitly that he would" veto a national abortion ban.
August 2024: Vance Interview on Vice Presidential Impact and Arlington Controversy
In August 2024, J.D. Vance stated that a vice president "doesn't really matter" and criticized Kamala Harris. He also commented on the controversy surrounding Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery, making controversial statements about Harris.
August 2024: Vance Supports Increased Child Tax Credit
In an August 2024 interview on Face the Nation, Vance said he supported increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child.
September 2024: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation inactivity
As of September 2024, the Our Ohio Renewal Foundation had not spent any funds since 2019.
September 2024: Allegations of Haitian Immigrants Eating Pets
In September 2024, J.D. Vance made allegations of "Haitian illegal immigrants draining social services and generally causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio. Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country".
September 2024: Vance Speaks at Wallnau Town Hall
In September 2024, J.D. Vance spoke at a western Pennsylvania town hall event organized by Lance Wallnau, who has promoted election denialism and called Kamala Harris a "demon".
September 2024: Trump's Response to Vance's Statement on Veto
In September 2024, during his debate with Harris, Donald Trump responded to Vance's statement about a veto on abortion ban, saying that he didn't discuss it with Vance and was unsure if Vance was speaking for him.
October 1, 2024: Vice Presidential Debate
The vice presidential debate was held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 9:00 p.m. EDT at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
October 2024: Vance Claims of Rigged Election
In October 2024, J.D. Vance said he did not believe Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and believed Big Tech rigged the election through censorship.
2024: Vance Meets with Zelenskyy
During a 2024 meeting with Zelenskyy, Vance accused Zelenskyy of showing a "propaganda tour" of Ukraine and falsely said Zelenskyy "went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October" 2024.
January 3, 2025: End of Senate term
J.D. Vance served as Ohio's junior senator from January 3, 2023, to January 3, 2025.
January 2025: End of Senate service
In January 2025, J.D. Vance completed his service as a senator for Ohio.
January 20, 2025: Vance Becomes Vice President
At noon on January 20, 2025, J.D. Vance became the 50th vice president of the United States, sworn into the office by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He also held a meeting with China's vice president Han Zheng to discuss China–United States relations.
February 2025: Comments on Executive Power
In February 2025, after multiple federal judges issued temporary rulings against various Trump administration actions, Vance wrote, "judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power".
February 2025: Vance's Biggest Concern
In his February 2025 speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), 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, J.D. Vance's overall favorability was 40.7% and his unfavorability was 42.5%.
February 28, 2025: Vance and Trump Meet Zelenskyy
On February 28, 2025, Vance and Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House's Oval Office. Vance answered a question about Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and told Zelenskyy: "The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy ... What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That's what President Trump is doing."
March 2025: Vance visits Greenland
In March 2025 Vance visited Greenland and said the U.S. should acquire Greenland and criticized Denmark for having "underinvested in the security architecture" and "people of Greenland".
2025: Affiliation with Project 2025
In 2025, American Moment, on whose board J.D. Vance sat, was affiliated with Project 2025.
2025: End of Senate Term
In 2025, James David Vance's term as a U.S. Senator for Ohio concluded.
2025: Cousin Criticized JD's Stance on Ukraine
In 2025, Nate Vance criticized JD's stance on Ukraine, accusing him and Trump of aiding Russia. Nate expressed disappointment that JD didn't consult him for insights on the war.
2025: Project 2025 advocated for Vance
In 2025, The Heritage Foundation, which drafted Project 2025, privately advocated for Vance to be Trump's vice-presidential pick.
2025: Genealogical Report
In 2025, a report commissioned by Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party found no genealogical link between J.D. Vance and Ireland.
Mentioned in this timeline
Purdue Pharma originally the Purdue Frederick Company was a privately...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Fox News Channel FNC is a conservative American news and...
Peter Thiel is a prominent American entrepreneur venture capitalist and...
CBS is a major American commercial broadcast television and radio...
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney notable for...
Trending
22 minutes ago Hozier to Headline Portland Concerts After Soundside Music Festival Cancellation
22 minutes ago Prince Andrew Faces Scrutiny Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties; Demands to Testify Publicly
22 minutes ago Ninel Conde faces criticism and a diva duel in 'La Casa de los Famosos'.
22 minutes ago Los Ratones might skip EMEA Masters for LoL Worlds in China, Paris Finals.
23 minutes ago Vivienne Westwood's Company Addresses Artists' Complaint; Jenna Ortega on Overwhelming Fame.
21 days ago Orix Buffaloes: Teranishi aims for two wins, Kurebayashi hits grand slam, Udagawa resumes.
Popular
The Boeing Dreamliner is an American wide-body airliner developed by...
Jeff Hardy is an American professional wrestler currently signed with...
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
John Michael Ozzy Osbourne is a prominent English singer songwriter...
Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder...
Candace Owens is an American political commentator and author known...