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.

Sections (4)

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

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.

2005: Deployment to Iraq War

In 2005, J.D. Vance was deployed to the Iraq War for six months in a non-combat role as a military journalist.

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.

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

Check it on Amazon

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.

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

Check it on Amazon

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.

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

Check it on Amazon

2016: Hillbilly Elegy publication

In 2016, Vance wrote about his Scots-Irish descent in his book.

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

Check it on Amazon

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.

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2017: Bestseller and Media Attention

In 2017, "Hillbilly Elegy" remained on The New York Times Best Seller list, bringing Vance increased media attention.

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

Check it on Amazon

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

2018: CNN Contributor

In 2018, J.D. Vance was a CNN contributor.

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.

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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: Post-Debate Favorability Increase

After the October 2024 vice-presidential debate, a CBS News/YouGov poll showed J.D. Vance's favorability rose from 40% to 49%.

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.