If you’re checking your phone to see who is vice president of the united states today, the answer is JD Vance. He’s the 50th person to hold the job. Honestly, it feels like only yesterday he was just "that guy who wrote the book about hillbillies," but a lot has changed since Hillbilly Elegy hit the shelves. He took the oath of office on January 20, 2025, standing right there next to Donald Trump.
Vance is 41. That makes him one of the youngest VPs we've ever had in this country. It’s a pretty wild jump if you think about it. He went from being a venture capitalist to a Senator from Ohio, and then basically sprinted into the West Wing.
The man in the Number One Observatory Circle
The Vice President lives at a place called Number One Observatory Circle. It’s on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory in D.C. JD Vance moved in there with his wife, Usha Vance, and their three kids about a year ago.
Since taking office, Vance hasn't just been sitting around waiting for something to happen. He’s actually been pretty busy. President Trump has given him some serious "homework," including a huge focus on the economy and something called DOGE—the Department of Government Efficiency. If you've been following the news, you know that’s been a massive talking point for this administration.
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He’s also the finance chair of the Republican National Committee. That’s actually a bit of a historical first. No sitting Vice President has ever held that specific fundraising role before. It’s a move that shows just how much trust the President puts in him.
What exactly does JD Vance do all day?
People always joke that the Vice Presidency is a "bucket of warm spit" (a famous quote from John Nance Garner), but the reality in 2026 is way different. Vance is a key player in the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiatives and has been a loud voice for bringing manufacturing jobs back to places like his hometown of Middletown, Ohio.
He also spends a lot of time at the Capitol. As the President of the Senate, he’s the guy who breaks a tie if the vote is stuck 50-50. Even though the Republicans have a decent margin right now, he’s still there to keep things moving.
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Why who is vice president of the united states today matters for the future
It’s no secret that people are already looking toward 2028. Because Vance is so young and so aligned with the MAGA movement, he’s widely seen as the heir apparent. He isn't just a "backup" president; he’s essentially the face of the next generation of his party.
His background is pretty unique for a VP.
- He was a U.S. Marine (Corporal).
- He served in Iraq as a military journalist.
- He went to Yale Law School.
- He worked in Silicon Valley venture capital.
That mix of "blue-collar" roots and "Ivy League" education is exactly why he’s such a polarizing, yet effective, figure in today's politics. He can talk to tech CEOs in the morning and factory workers in the afternoon without missing a beat.
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A quick refresher on the 2024 election results
In case you need the numbers, the Trump-Vance ticket won with 312 electoral votes. They beat Kamala Harris and Tim Walz after a pretty intense campaign season. They managed to flip all seven major swing states, which was a huge deal at the time.
Vance’s role in that win shouldn't be overlooked. He spent a massive amount of time in the "Rust Belt"—states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. His message about the "forgotten Americans" really seemed to land in those areas.
Practical steps for staying updated
Politics moves fast. By the time you finish reading this, there might be a new policy or a fresh controversy. If you want to keep a close eye on what the Vice President is actually doing, here’s the best way to do it:
Follow the official @VP account on X (formerly Twitter) for real-time announcements. You can also check out the White House Briefing Room website. They post transcripts of almost every speech and press conference Vance gives. If you’re interested in the legislative side, keep an eye on Congress.gov to see if he’s had to cast any tie-breaking votes in the Senate lately.
Watching the "MAHA" reports and the updates from the Department of Government Efficiency will give you the best look at his specific projects for 2026.