A Month Before Trump Picked JD Vance As His Running Mate, GOP Lawmaker Shared How A Comment From Top CEO Who Said Workers Need To 'Get Off Their A**es And Come To Work' Became A Turning Point In His Political Journey

A month before former President Donald Trump picked Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate, the VP pick reflected on a significant 2018 dinner with CEOs as a significant turning point in his political journey.

What Happened: In an interview with The New York Times published in June, Vance said during a 2018 gathering hosted by the Business Roundtable, he found himself at a crossroads. Seated next to a major hotel chain CEO, Vance was struck by the executive's harsh views on labor and immigration, which pivoted on Trump’s policies.

The CEO’s comment that workers needed to “get off their a**es” highlighted a disconnect with Vance’s growing concern for the working class, prompting him to reconsider his trajectory in the corporate-political nexus.

“Well, you understand this as well as anybody. These people just need to get off their a**es, come to work and do their job. And now, because we can’t hire immigrants, or as many immigrants, we’ve got to hire these people at higher wages,” the CEO told Vance.

“The fact that this guy saw me as sympathetic to his problem, and not the problem of the workers, made me realize that I’m on a train that has its own momentum, and I have to get off this train, or I’m going to wake up in 10 years and really hate everything that I’ve become,” Vance told NYT while recounting the moment.

See Also: As Trump Promises To Hold Dollar Steady, Expert Warns His Second-Term Could Lead To ‘Severe Deterioration:’ ‘Policy And Actions Speak Louder Than Slogans’

“And so I decided to get off that train, and I felt like the only way that I could do that was, in some ways, alienating and offending people who liked my book,” he added.

Vance Took A U-Turn

Vance has since then expressed support for more government intervention in the economy, a stark contrast to traditional Republican views. His advocacy for raising corporate taxes and the minimum wage, along with his criticism of “right-to-work” policies, showcases his shift towards a populist economic approach, aligning more closely with Trump's economic populism.

How Vance Became A Trumper

Initially, Vance was a vocal critic of Trump, denouncing him during the 2016 presidential campaign as “reprehensible” and even likening him to “America’s Hitler.” Vance proudly identified as a “Never Trumper” in interviews and tweets.

However, in 2021, as he campaigned for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, Vance publicly reversed his stance, admitting he had been wrong about Trump and expressing support for the former president. This dramatic shift puzzled many fans of Vance’s book, yet it coincided with his successful Senate bid and growing popularity among right-wing supporters.

Biden Vs. Trump

After Biden's lackluster performance during the debate, Trump's bid for a second term in office has gained steam.

According to a poll conducted by Emerson College between June 30 and July 2, Trump received 9.4% more votes than Biden in all the states put together. The poll found that Vice President Kamala Harris has a better chance against Trump as she led the latter by a 42%-41% margin.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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