So, you’re looking up who is the vice president and maybe you’re a little surprised by the name that pops up. It’s JD Vance. Honestly, it feels like only yesterday he was just a guy who wrote a book about his childhood in Ohio, yet here he is, serving as the 50th Vice President of the United States.
He’s currently working alongside President Donald Trump, who won the 2024 election in a pretty historic comeback against Kamala Harris. If you haven't been glued to the news every single day, it’s easy to lose track of how we got here. Politics moves fast. One minute you're a freshman Senator from Ohio, and the next, you're the second-in-command of the most powerful country on earth.
Vance is actually a bit of a record-breaker in his own right. At 41 years old, he’s one of the youngest people to ever hold the office. Basically, he’s the first millennial to make it into the White House’s top two spots.
The Rapid Rise of the Current Vice President
A lot of people think the path to the vice presidency has to be decades of shaking hands in Washington. JD Vance basically shattered that idea. Before he was the guy answering the question of who is the vice president, he was a Marine. He served in Iraq as a combat correspondent. That’s a fancy way of saying he was a military journalist, but he was still on the ground in a war zone.
After the military, he hit the books. Hard. He went to Ohio State University and then to Yale Law School. That’s where things get interesting. At Yale, he met his wife, Usha, and started forming the connections that would eventually lead him to Silicon Valley.
He worked as a venture capitalist, which basically means he spent his time deciding which tech startups were worth putting millions of dollars into. It’s a world away from the manufacturing town of Middletown, Ohio, where he grew up. But that upbringing is exactly what made him famous.
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Why Hillbilly Elegy Matters So Much
If you want to understand who is the vice president, you have to look at his 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. It became a massive bestseller. It was even turned into a movie on Netflix. In the book, Vance writes about his family’s struggle with poverty and his mother’s battle with addiction.
It struck a chord. People felt like he was explaining a part of America that the media usually ignores. Ironically, back when the book came out, Vance was actually a "Never Trump" guy. He was pretty vocal about it, too. He once wondered if Trump was "America’s Hitler" in a private message that eventually went public.
Obviously, things changed.
Vance says he saw what Trump did in office and realized he was wrong. He became one of the former president’s most loyal defenders, which eventually earned him Trump’s endorsement for the Ohio Senate seat in 2022. He won that race, spent about two years in the Senate, and then got the tap for the VP spot on the 2024 ticket.
What Does JD Vance Actually Do as Vice President?
The job of the vice president is kinda weird. The Constitution says they preside over the Senate and cast tie-breaking votes. That’s about it on paper. But in reality, Vance has been a very active VP.
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He’s been heavily involved in things like:
- Border Security: He’s spent a lot of time on the southern border, pushing for the completion of the wall.
- Economic Policy: Specifically, trying to bring manufacturing jobs back to places like his hometown in Ohio.
- The 2026 Winter Olympics: The White House recently confirmed that Vance will lead the U.S. delegation to Italy for the opening ceremony.
- DOGE: He’s working closely with the new Department of Government Efficiency to cut federal spending.
He also travels a lot. For instance, he recently visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He’s also a regular at the March for Life, being the second Catholic vice president in U.S. history.
A Different Kind of Second Family
The dynamic at the White House is a bit different these days. Second Lady Usha Vance is a powerhouse in her own right. She’s a lawyer who clerked for Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. They have three kids—Ewan, Vivek, and Maribel.
It’s a young family. You’re more likely to see toys in the hallway than in previous administrations. Usha has stayed somewhat low-profile compared to some of her predecessors, but she’s a constant presence at major events, including the upcoming trip to the Olympics in Italy.
Common Misconceptions About the VP
People often assume the Vice President is just a "spare" for the President. While that’s technically their primary role—to be ready if something happens to the President—Vance has been more of a "messenger-in-chief."
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He’s very comfortable on podcasts and in front of cameras. Unlike some older politicians who stick to scripted teleprompters, Vance tends to talk in a more conversational, off-the-cuff way. This has made him popular with the MAGA base but also a frequent target for critics who analyze every word he says on social media.
One thing people get wrong is thinking he’s just a "yes man." While he’s incredibly loyal to Trump now, he’s also been known to push for specific populist policies that focus on the working class, sometimes even when they clash with traditional big-business Republican views. He’s very much a "New Right" politician.
What’s Next for the Vice President?
As we move through 2026, the focus is shifting toward the midterm elections and the administration’s long-term goals. Vance is likely to be the face of the Republican party for years to come.
If you’re trying to keep up with what he’s doing, here are a few things to watch:
- Legislative Battles: Keep an eye on how he uses his tie-breaking vote in the Senate if the margins stay thin.
- International Diplomacy: His role at the 2026 Olympics will be a major test of his "soft power" on the world stage.
- Policy Initiatives: Watch for his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as they try to overhaul how the government spends money.
The question of who is the vice president is about more than just a name. It’s about a massive shift in how the Republican party looks and who it represents. JD Vance is at the center of that shift. Whether you love him or hate him, he’s definitely not a traditional politician, and he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
To stay informed on his latest moves, you can follow the official White House briefings or check out the "White House Wire" for real-time updates on his travel and policy remarks. Keep an eye on the news coming out of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy to see how he handles his most significant international role to date.