Endorses J.D. Vance for Ohio Senate despite past criticism

At a rally in Delaware County, Ohio, Trump endorsed author J.D. Vance for U.S. Senate, despite Vance's well-documented past criticism of Trump. Trump acknowledged that Vance "said 'some bad shit about' him" but stated Vance "came back to" him and praised him as an "America first warrior" who is "the most likely to win" the Republican primary. Vance responded by admitting his previous criticism but claiming Trump "turned out to be the best president of" his lifetime. The endorsement demonstrated Trump's transactional approach to politics—prioritizing loyalty over principle and rewarding those who recanted their criticism. Vance had previously called Trump "cultural heroin" and said he might be "America's Hitler." Trump's willingness to overlook these comments in exchange for fealty showed his focus on building a movement based on personal allegiance rather than consistent conservative values.

"He said 'some bad shit about' him, but he came back to me, and he's the most likely to win." — Rally in Delaware County, Ohio, April 23, 2022