As Sen. J.D. Vance prepares for the upcoming vice presidential debate, scrutiny has intensified over past comments he made about Donald Trump and a controversial remark linking car seat regulations to declining birth rates in the U.S.
Vance’s previous criticisms of Trump have long been public knowledge. Before becoming a Trump ally, he had expressed serious reservations about the former president, once likening him to “America’s Hitler.” However, Vance later pivoted, citing his appreciation for Trump’s presidency, and became a prominent supporter. This past support came under the microscope again when The Washington Post revealed a 2020 private message in which Vance reportedly criticized Trump for failing to deliver on his economic promises.
In this message, Vance is alleged to have said that Trump “thoroughly failed to deliver on his economic populism.” Kamala Harris’ campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa responded, calling the message a “definitive rejection” of Trump. The Trump campaign acknowledged Vance’s earlier critiques but emphasized that Vance still voted for Trump’s re-election in 2020. Vance’s team also clarified that his criticisms were aimed at establishment Republicans who, in his view, hindered Trump’s agenda.
Additionally, Vance faced renewed backlash for a comment he made during a Senate hearing in 2022, where he argued that stringent car seat regulations were contributing to America’s declining birth rates. He suggested that car seat rules imposed burdens on parents, resulting in over 100,000 fewer births. His remarks were widely mocked, and some experts, like Columbia University professor John S. Santelli, dismissed the claim, emphasizing that car seats are essential for child safety in accidents.
Vance’s views on America’s birthrate crisis, along with his past statements about Trump, will likely be a focal point in the upcoming debate as he faces off against Kamala Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz.
While Democrats see this as damaging, the rest of the country is realizing just how many people – including Vance – were once fooled by what the media has to say about Trump…