Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during Faith & Freedom Coalition’s God & Country Breakfast on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
| Photo Credit: AP

J.D. Vance, the Republican candidate for U.S. Vice President, weaved the story of his childhood struggle in a decrepit white working class community in Ohio into America First politics, vowing to regenerate manufacturing jobs in the country and avoid U.S. entanglement in global conflicts. “Our jobs were sent overseas and our children were sent to war,” Mr. Vance, 39, who has emerged as the poster boy of the American working class, told the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.

His Indian-origin wife Usha introduced the VP candidate — U.S. Senator from Ohio — at the convention as someone who realised the American dream. “He has the same ambition for all Americans,” she said recalling how Mr. Vance learnt to cook Indian vegetarian food and embraced her family of Indian immigrant parents and sister. “That JD and I could meet and fall in love is testament to this great country,” she said.

Also Read | U.K. Deputy PM dismisses ‘Islamist’ nuclear state jibe by Trump VP pick Vance

The couple met as classmates at Yale Law School. Mr. Vance blamed illegal inflow of people into the U.S. for a runaway crisis in housing and inflation even as he made it clear that immigration was integral to being American. “We are a people with a shared history and a shared future. In short, we are a nation… As part of that tradition, we welcome newcomers. When we allow newcomers into our American family, we allow them on our terms — that is the way we preserve the continuity of this project,” Mr. Vance said, pointing out that his wife’s family “genuinely enriched” the U.S.

Mr. Vance was raised by his grandmother who he said loved God and the F word. His single mother had fallen to addiction even as jobs and factories disappeared from the community to global trade. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Vance linked the decline of his family and the community directly to U.S. President Joe Biden.

Forgotten by rulers

“It was also a place that had been cast aside and forgotten by America’s ruling class in Washington. When I was in grade four, a career politician by the name of Joe Biden supported NAFTA — a bad trade deal that sent countless good jobs to Mexico. When I was a sophomore in high school that same career politician named Joe Biden gave China a sweetheart trade deal that destroyed even more good American middle class manufacturing jobs; when I was a senior in high school that same Joe Biden supported the disastrous invasion of Iraq and at each step of the way in small towns like mine and Ohio or next door in Pennsylvania or Michigan in States all across our country, jobs were sent overseas and our children were sent to war,” Mr. Vance said, as the crowd chanted “Joe must go.” The America First nationalism mobilised by Mr. Trump has found a perfect champion in Mr. Vance, who dialled up the anger against trade and war with his personal tales of struggle and survival. Mr. Vance’s 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy was a bestselling book and later a film.

Also Read | J.D. Vance introduces himself as Trump’s running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt

Mr. Vance, who served as a marine in Iraq, said American soldiers would be sent to war only when they must. Allies will have to pay a fair share for joint defence, and there will be “no more free rides for nations that betray the generosity of the American tax payer”. The VP candidate has been a strong opponent of U.S. aid to Ukraine, and Mr. Trump has said Taiwan will have to pay the U.S. for its defence. “From Iraq to Afghanistan… America’s ruling class wrote the cheque and communities like mine paid the price,” said Mr. Vance, adding that a new Trump presidency will be focused on the welfare of the American working class.

Usha Chilukuri Vance, the wife of JD Vance, at the Republican National Convention said that neither JD Vance nor she expected to find themselves in this position on Thursday. “But it’s hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American Dream,” she added, introducing her husband after Donald Trump named him his running mate for the US presidential polls.

Future Second Lady Usha Vance: “Neither J.D. nor I expected to find ourselves in this position — but it’s hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American Dream.”

FULL REMARKS: pic.twitter.com/JJgdJbem0H

— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) July 18, 2024

Usha, born to immigrant parents from Andhra Pradesh, shared their story from the stage of the RNC. Recounting their first meeting and the journey that led them to this moment, she said “There was only one thing to do, to explain, from the heart, why I love and admire JD, why I stand here beside him today, and why he will make a great Vice President of the United States.”

She shared how they met at the law school, where JD was a “working-class student” who had “overcome childhood traumas” and served in Iraq as a Marine. “A tough Marine who had served in Iraq but whose idea of a good time was playing with puppies,” she said.

Usha shed light on the Ohio senator’s curious and enthusiastic approach to their differences when they first met, including his adaptation to her vegetarian diet and learning to cook Indian food from her mother. “Although he is a meat and potato kind of guy, he adapted to my vegetarian diet and learnt to cook Indian food from my mother,” she said.

JD and Usha Vance met at Yale Law School and married in 2014. The couple has three children together – Ewan, 6, Vivek, 4, and Mirabel, 2.

JD Vance also delivered a powerful speech at the RNC, talking about his roots in small-town Ohio and the economic challenges communities across the Rust Belt faced. He spoke about the struggles of small towns in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and other states, where jobs have been sent overseas and children have been sent to war.

He vowed to be a champion for these forgotten communities, promising to never forget his humble beginnings. “I promise you this: I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from,” JD said.

“To the people of Middletown, Ohio, and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and every corner of our nation, I will fight for you, I will stand with you, and I will never forget the struggles we face.”

New Delhi:

Usha Chilukuri Vance, wife of JD Vance, Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where she revealed her husband’s culinary skills in Indian cuisine.

Describing him as a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy, she mentioned his newfound ability to cook Indian food.

Recalling their meeting at Yale Law School, Ms Vance portrayed their relationship as “a testament to this great country”.

“We started as friends,” she said. “He was then, as he is now, the most interesting person I knew – a working class guy who had overcome childhood traumas that I could barely fathom to end up at Yale Law School, a tough marine who had served in Iraq, but who enjoys spending his leisure time playing with puppies and watching the movie ‘Babe’.”

Ms Vance also highlighted the diverse backgrounds they come from.

JD Vance has acknowledged the influence of his Hindu wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, on his personal and spiritual life.

In an interview with Fox News, he explained how his wife’s Hindu faith had been pivotal in guiding him through challenges and reconciling his Catholic beliefs.

Previously, JD Vance has often credited Usha for supporting his success. During a 2020 interview with The Megyn Kelly Show, Vance described his wife as a “strong female voice” that grounds him. “Usha definitely brings me back to earth. If I get a little too confident or proud, I remind myself that she’s way more accomplished than I am,” he had said.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is seen during the Republican National Convention on July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee.
| Photo Credit: AP

Analysis

Leaders, including many former critics and challengers, rallied behind Donald Trump on the second day of the Republican National Convention, several of them attributing to god his escape from an assassination attempt on July 13. Several of them cited the Bible, and suggested a divine plan in Mr. Trump’s leadership of the party. “I saw President Trump, a dear friend escape death by mere inches, and my thoughts immediately turned to the book of Isaiah..That says no weapon formed against you shall prosper,” Ben Carson, an African American leader who was an opponent of Mr. Trump in the 2016 primary and later a member of his Cabinet, said.

Two other primary opponents of Mr. Trump in 2016, Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, and Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders were also among those cited godly plans in Mr. Trump’s escape from death, which has become a key talking point among a section of his supporters, as is his show of courage in the aftermath. “The most repeated phrase in the Bible is, ‘do not be afraid ‘or ‘fear not.’ It appears 365 times in scripture,” said Mr. Carson.

Mr. Trump’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the RNC, Lara Trump cited Proverbs to draw a stark contrast between the nominee and his opponents: “The wicked flee when no man pursues; But the righteous are bold as a lion.”

“It (Mr. Trump’s escape) reminds us that the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind is in the hands of god..” said Mr. Rubio, thanking Mr. Trump for “transforming our party”. Mr. Rubio has travelled a long way from his stiff challenge to Mr. Trump in 2016.

Far from resisting the transformation of the party under Mr. Trump, both Senators are now among the loudest cheerleaders of it. Mr. Cruz, who was the last standing primary challenger to Mr. Trump in 2016, all the way until the Convention, was effusive in his praise for him this time. “I worked hand-in-hand with President Trump to reduce illegal immigration to this country to a 45-year low. We will do it again,” he said, blaming illegal immigrants for crimes in the U.S.

Indian origin leaders

Two people of Indian origin — former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Ohio businessman Vivek Ramaswamy — featured among the evening speakers, at the Convention of a party that is accused by its critics of fanning nativism among the country’s white population. Mr. Ramaswamy spoke on American identity, counting legal immigration as integral to it while arguing illegal immigration is in conflict with it. “America is built on the rule of law. You cannot enter this country by breaking the law.”

Ms. Haley, whose primary challenge to Mr. Trump collapsed early on, made a turnaround by pledging her absolute endorsement of his candidacy. She said she was not in agreement with Mr. Trump on all issues but curiously bracketed her militarist, interventionist foreign policy doctrine with his largely non-interventionist one.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who also made a short-lived attempt for nomination this time, fell behind Mr. Trump. Both Ms. Haley and Mr. DeSantis sought to keep their endorsement of Mr. Trump more as an opposition to the Democrats and the combination of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their ticket. In fact, Ms. Haley spent a considerable portion of her speech to portray the danger of Ms. Harris — whose mother was an Indian immigrant — ending up as President if Mr. Biden were to be elected again.

Former US President Donald Trump has picked JD Vance, a Republican senator, as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election. On his Truth Social platform, Trump said that after lengthy deliberation and thought, and “considering the tremendous talents of many others”, he decided Vance was best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States.

According to a source, the Republican nominee called the Ohio senator on Monday to offer him the vice presidential post just 20 minutes before making the announcement. The two met at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Saturday before the rally where Trump was shot at.

Vance and Trump share similar views on issues such as immigration and trade.

Why Trump chose JD Vance

Donald Trump, recently, spent months evaluating potential running mates, observing how they performed on TV, at fundraisers and rallies. Some contenders accompanied him to his criminal trial in New York, while others joined him at the debate last month. The debate was known for President Joe Biden’s poor performance, which led to calls for him to step down and let a younger candidate take his place.

Trump’s choice of JD Vance as his running mate is a strategic move to energise his loyal base. Vance has established himself as a leader who can carry Trump’s mantle into the future, thanks to his frequent appearances on the conservative media circuit and his willingness to spar with reporters on Capitol Hill.

In his announcement post, Trump praised Vance for his dedication to American workers and farmers, saying he “will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for” in Midwestern states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Minnesota, as per AP.

Vance and Trump also regularly talk over the phone.

The former president has even complimented the senator’s looks, comparing him to a young Abraham Lincoln.

Vance was once a vocal critic of Donald Trump, labelling him “a total fraud,” an “idiot”, “a moral disaster”, and even “America’s Hitler.”

However, as Trump’s political fortunes soared, Vance’s perspective shifted dramatically. Despite his early scepticism, Vance later praised Trump’s presidency, crediting him with “delivering peace and prosperity.”

This change in stance led to Trump endorsing him during his 2022 Senate bid.

Now a steadfast Trump loyalist, Vance has actively defended him against criminal and civil charges and questioned the 2020 election results.

JD Vance, who has been named former US President Donald Trump’s running mate, stirred a controversy after he said that that UK under Labour might be the first “truly Islamist” country with nuclear weapons.

Vance said he had been discussing with a friend which country would be the first “truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon”.

“Maybe it’s Iran, maybe Pakistan kind of counts, and then we sort of decided maybe it’s actually the UK since Labour just took over,” he said last week at a conference for UK Conservatives last week.

Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, meanwhile, played down Vance’s comments, saying he had a history of making “fruity” remarks.

Britain would work with whoever won November’s US presidential election, Angela Rayner said, adding that “I don’t recognise that characterisation”.

“We’re interested in governing on behalf of Britain, and also working with our international allies,” she said.

In one of his first interviews after being named the Vice Presidential pick, Vance also branded China the biggest threat to America, underscoring the likely hawkish stance of their administration toward Beijing if elected.

The Ohio Senator made the remarks in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday. When asked about the war in Ukraine, Vance said Trump would negotiate with Moscow and Kyiv to “bring this thing to a rapid close so America can focus on the real issue, which is China.”

“That’s the biggest threat to our country and we are completely distracted from it,” he said

Vance, 39, was tapped by Trump days after a failed assassination attempt on the former president upended what had already been a chaotic presidential contest.

JD Vance, Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, has the support of former Trump presidential primary rival Vivek Ramaswamy.

Reminiscing the days of his law school, Mr Ramaswamy, an Indian-American entrepreneur, underscored how impressed he is with his “classmate” JD Vance getting the “strongest presidential ticket.”

“So proud of my friend, classmate, and fellow southwest Ohioan today. We used to watch Bengals games at the bar in law school, it’s awesome we’re now here a decade later with JD joining the strongest presidential ticket in our lifetime,” said Mr Ramaswamy.

“He’ll be an outstanding Vice President and I look forward to everything ahead for him and for our country,” Mr Ramaswamy added, who dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses earlier.

So proud of my friend, classmate, and fellow southwest Ohioan today. We used to watch Bengals games at the bar in law school, it’s awesome we’re now here a decade later with JD joining the strongest presidential ticket in our lifetime. He’ll be an outstanding Vice President and I…

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 15, 2024

Donald Trump won the formal nomination Monday as the Republican presidential candidate and picked a right-wing loyalist for his running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of the weekend’s failed assassination attempt.

A White House candidate often chooses a vice presidential running mate who can appeal to new categories of voters or compensate for acknowledged weaknesses in terms of image or policy.

Even if his octogenarian rival Joe Biden appears to be suffering more than him from advanced age, Trump knows he is no spring chicken at 78.

By picking Mr Vance, who at 39 is barely half Trump’s age — and the first millennial on a major US party presidential ticket — he could neutralize what had been the relatively youthful advantage of Biden’s vice president, 59-year-old Kamala Harris.

Mr Vance, who was once a fierce Trump antagonist, has made a U-turn to establish himself as one of the billionaire’s most ardent defenders.

He has deleted earlier tweets critical of Trump and instead passionately embraced his ideas, advocating a radical anti-immigration fight and uncompromising economic protectionism.

Vance’s 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” was extolled by some as a window into the lives and troubles of the white working class — and their support for Trump.

(With agency inputs)

Former US President Donald Trump on Monday announced US Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate for the November Presidential polls. The announcement came ahead of the former president’s surprise appearance at the Republican National Convention, just two days after he survived an attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally.

Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, will join Trump on the ticket to challenge President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election.

Who is JD Vance?

1. JD Vance was born James David Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, to a mother struggling with addiction. His father left the family when Vance was a toddler. He grew up with his grandparents; his grandmother “Mamaw” was a “blue dog” Democrat and a devout Christian who owned 19 handguns.

2. Vance served in the US Marine Corps after high school, including a tour in the Iraq War. He then pursued higher education, graduating from The Ohio State University and Yale Law School. Until 2017, he worked at a venture capital firm.

3. Before entering politics, Vance gained national attention with his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which was later adapted into a Netflix movie.

4. JD Vance is married to Indian-origin Usha Chilukuri Vance. They met at Yale Law School and got married in Kentucky in 2014. In addition to a traditional ceremony, they had a separate Hindu ceremony conducted by a Hindu priest. They have three children.

5. Vance was once a vocal critic of Donald Trump, calling him an “idiot” and “reprehensible” and comparing him to Hitler in earlier interviews in 2016. However, he has now transformed into one of Trump’s steadfast allies, rarely missing an opportunity to defend him. Although his name was long mentioned as a potential political candidate, Vance seized the chance to run for Ohio’s Senate seat in 2022 after Republican Senator Rob Portman decided not to seek re-election. His campaign struggled initially but gained momentum after receiving a $10 million donation from his former boss, Peter Thiel. Despite being in a predominantly Republican state, Vance’s past criticism of Donald Trump posed a hurdle to his election. He managed to mend things with the former President for his previous remarks and secure Trump’s endorsement.

President Joe Biden told NBC News in an interview on July 15 that it was a “mistake” to say he wanted to put a “bull’s-eye” on Republican nominee Donald Trump, but argued that the rhetoric from his opponent was more incendiary while warning that Mr. Trump remained a threat to democratic institutions.

Those remarks from Mr. Biden came during a private call with donors last week as the Democrat had been scrambling to shore up his imperilled candidacy with key party constituencies. During that conversation, Mr. Biden declared that he was “done” talking about his poor debate performance and that it was “time to put Mr. Trump in the bull’s-eye,” saying Mr. Trump has gotten far too little scrutiny on his stances, rhetoric and lack of campaigning.

The NBC interview came as Mr. Biden and his reelection team prepared to resume full-throttle campaigning after a brief pause following the weekend assassination attempt on Mr. Trump. The President and his campaign let loose a flurry of criticism after the GOP nominee announced freshman Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate.

“He’s a clone of Mr. Trump on the issues,” Mr. Biden told reporters as he headed to Nevada for a series of speeches and campaign events. “I don’t see any difference.”

Once Mr. Vance was tapped as Mr. Trump’s vice-presidential pick, the Biden campaign hit send on a fundraising solicitation signed by the President, and his team issued a blistering statement, saying he picked the freshman senator because he would “bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda.” For her part, Vice President Kamala Harris phoned Mr. Vance to congratulate him and left him a voicemail message, according to a person familiar with the matter.

And to NBC anchor Lester Holt, Mr. Biden made it clear that he would keep up his focus on Trump. While he acknowledged his “mistake,” Biden nonetheless said he is “not the guy who said I wanted to be a dictator on day one” and that he wanted the focus to be on what Mr. Trump was saying. It’s Mr. Trump, not Mr. Biden, who engages in that kind of rhetoric, Mr. Biden said, referring to Trump’s past comments about a “bloodbath” if the Republican loses to Mr. Biden in November.

“Look, how do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a President says things like he says?” Mr. Biden said. “Do you just not say anything because it may incite somebody?”

The NBC interview, scheduled before the attempt on Mr. Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania, had been part of Mr. Biden’s broader strategy to prove his fitness for office after angst grew among Democrats because of his disastrous June 27 debate performance.

The Biden campaign recalibrated some of its political plans in the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt on July 13, pulling advertising off the air and hitting pause on messaging. The White House also scrapped Mr. Biden’s planned July 15 visit to the Lyndon B. Johnson library, where he had been slated to deliver remarks on civil rights.

Mr. Biden also spoke privately to Mr. Trump after the assassination attempt, a call that the President described in the NBC interview as “very cordial.”

“I told him how concerned I was and wanted to make sure I knew how he was actually doing,” Mr. Biden said. “He sounded good. He said he was fine and he thanked me for calling. I told him it was literally in the prayers of Jill and me, and I hoped his whole family was weathering this.”

It’s still not finalized when Mr. Biden’s campaign ads will resume airing. But Mr. Biden is pressing on with the Nevada portion of his previously scheduled western swing, which will include remarks to the NAACP and UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights and advocacy group. He’ll also headline what’s been billed as a “campaign community event” on July 17 in Las Vegas.

Mr. Biden has acknowledged that his candidacy and agenda will be under attack at the Republican National Convention this week, and aides had felt no need to halt their campaign completely, particularly while Mr. Biden comes under scrutiny in Milwaukee.

Asked whether Mr. Biden would adjust his messaging this week in light of the assassination attempt, O’Malley Dillon pointed to his Oval Office address as a “roadmap for the whole country,” which she said was no different than Mr. Biden’s broader message from the start of his candidacy.

“You’re going to hear the President continue to make his affirmative agenda clear,” she said. “Not just in abstract terms, but very specifically on how it continues to help the American people versus this very negative point of view and extreme agenda that the American people have already said that they don’t want.”

Mr. Biden’s renewed campaigning this week comes as Democrats have been at an impasse over whether the incumbent president should continue in the race even as he was defiant that he would stay in. Mr. Biden has made it clear in no uncertain terms that he remains in the race, and aides have been operating as such.

It was unclear if the attempt on Mr. Trump’s life would blunt Democratic efforts to urge Biden to step aside, but it appears to have stalled some of the momentum, for now. No Democrats have called for him to exit the race since the shooting Saturday night.

In the hours before the shooting, Mr. Biden was still being confronted by frustration and scepticism from Democratic lawmakers. Rep. Jared Huffman of California said he asked the president during his meeting with the Congressional Progressive Caucus about objectively assessing the trajectory of the race, and if the Lord almighty doesn’t intervene would Mr. Biden consider “the best earthly alternative”: meeting with former Presidents Obama and Clinton, Democratic leadership including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi “to seek their advice.”

Mr. Huffman said on a social media post that Mr. Biden “disagreed with the notion that we are on a losing trajectory.”

And while Mr. Biden expressed a “willingness to listen” to other voices, Huffman said he doubted any would be persuasive. “I continue to believe a major course correction is needed, and that the President and his team have yet to fully acknowledge the problem, much less correct it,” he said.

But now, several Democrats who requested anonymity were sceptical that there would be enough drive among lawmakers to successfully try to pressure Mr. Biden not to run, especially because they are scattered and away from Washington until next week and because Mr. Biden has said he won’t step aside and seized the opportunity to quickly respond to the shooting over the weekend. The people requested anonymity to characterize private conversations.

Asked by Mr. Holt if he has weathered the worst of it from his own party, Mr. Biden responded that 14 million Democratic voters selected him through the primaries and added, “I listen to them.” His mental acuity is “pretty damn good,” Mr. Biden added, but he said the question of his age was “legitimate” to ask.

Many in the Democratic Party had been looking to congressional leaders Jeffries and Schumer to voice concerns directly to the president. Mr. Jeffries met with Mr. Biden at the White House on July 11 night, while Mr. Schumer went to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on July 13 for his visit with Mr. Biden, which occurred just before the assassination attempt on Trump.

There were still deep concerns that Biden is not up to the job and a sense that pressure to try and find another candidate could ramp up again when lawmakers returned to Washington. Congressional Democrats were watching the Republican National Convention and Mr. Biden’s appearances this week with awareness that the dynamics could change — again.

Washington:

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick J.D. Vance has openly praised the work of Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, a sign that the agency’s broad approach to antitrust enforcement could enjoy some level of support from a second Trump administration.

Vance, a Republican U.S. senator from Ohio, joined the presidential ticket on Monday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump officially became the party’s nominee.

Vance is one of several Republican lawmakers, including U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri and Florida U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, called “Khanservatives” for their agreement with the FTC chair that U.S. antitrust law has a broader purpose than keeping prices down for consumers.

“She recognized there has to be a broader understanding of how we think about competition in the marketplace,” Vance said at an event in Washington in February.

The comments reflect a tension in the conservative movement, between an impulse to shrink regulatory agencies and a willingness to use antitrust laws to challenge powerful corporations — especially in Big Tech, where some hope to tackle perceived censorship of conservatives online.

Joseph Coniglio, director of antitrust policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said Vance is among the latter.

“I do think that picking Senator Vance as vice president certainly sends a signal in one direction,” said Coniglio. His think tank receives funding from several major technology companies.

Scrutiny of Big Tech would not be a departure for Trump. The FTC and Department of Justice under Trump initiated investigations into Meta, Amazon, Apple and Google over alleged antitrust violations. All four companies were eventually sued, and have denied wrongdoing.

Vance is a Yale-educated lawyer and venture capitalist who worked at corporate law firm Sidley Austin and has helped Trump fundraise in Silicon Valley. He has also called for the breakup of one of its biggest companies.

“Long overdue, but it’s time to break Google up,” Vance tweeted in February, lamenting that “monopolistic control of information in our society resides with an explicitly progressive technology company.”

It remains to be seen what a potential second Trump administration would focus on. The conservative Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy platform discusses ways conservative causes can be championed by antitrust enforcers, but also questions whether the FTC should continue to exist.

Business groups have criticized President Joe Biden’s antitrust enforcers for going beyond traditional considerations of how competition affects prices to focus on issues including labor.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has sued to block the FTC’s recent ban on employers requiring workers to sign agreements not to join rivals or launch competing businesses.

Vance said at the February event, hosted by Silicon Valley startup incubator Y Combinator, that his view of antitrust encompasses not only helping small firms compete, but also on workers and the quality of consumer goods.

He disagreed with what he described as some conservatives’ view that corporations’ behavior cannot be “tyrannical.”

“I want people to live good lives in our country,” he said. “I don’t really care if the entity that is most threatening to that vision is a private entity or a public entity.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)