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When JD Vance tried to help Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign defeat Trump: ‘I hate Hillary. But I hate Trump more’
A new report says JD Vance advised Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign against Trump, while his spokesperson strongly disputes that account.
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Vice President JD Vance reportedly tried to help Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign defeat Donald Trump, despite privately disliking the Democratic candidate, according to a new Vanity Fair report. An intermediary who worked with Clinton’s campaign told the magazine that Vance repeatedly asked to speak with Jake Sullivan, then a senior policy adviser to Clinton.
Vance reportedly wanted Clinton to focus more on Midwestern states and address concerns among working-class voters. He also said he believed Trump could not win. Vance’s spokesperson has rejected the claim that he was trying to help Clinton win.
JD Vance reportedly sought Jake Sullivan’s help
According to the report, Vance contacted an intermediary connected to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and asked to be introduced to Jake Sullivan.
“JD called me and said, ‘Can you put me in touch with Jake Sullivan?’” the intermediary told Vanity Fair.
The person initially brushed off the request, saying Sullivan was too busy. Vance reportedly called again and made clear why he wanted the conversation. His concern, according to the source, was stopping Trump from reaching the White House.
“He called me again and he said, ‘I hate Hillary. But I hate Trump more. Trump can’t win. He can’t win. Hillary’s going to lose, but she doesn’t have to,’” the source said.
The report says Vance eventually spoke directly with Sullivan, and their discussion focused on states including Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
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What JD Vance reportedly told Hillary Clinton’s campaign
Vance reportedly believed Clinton needed to spend more time in Midwestern states and speak directly to voters who felt ignored by the political establishment.
“He listed Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and what we now call the Blue Wall states. And he’s, like, ‘She needs to come here instead of being down with Beyoncé in Miami. She needs to come here and apologize for the Iraq War. Apologize for sending so many people, my community, all the people in all these states whose sons and fathers died and everybody just forgot about them.’”
The report also says Vance wanted Clinton to address the backlash over her “deplorables” comment about some Trump supporters.
A separate person close to Sullivan confirmed that Vance spoke with him, according to the report.
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JD Vance’s 2016 Trump stance was very different
Vance was a vocal Trump critic during the 2016 election and ultimately voted for independent candidate Evan McMullin. He later changed course and became one of Trump’s strongest political allies.
PBS has previously documented Vance’s harsh criticism of Trump during that campaign, including his description of Trump as “reprehensible” and an “idiot.” Vance later removed several of his old posts as he began his 2021 Senate campaign.
However, Vance’s spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk disputes the new characterization.
“A lot of people asked the Vice President for advice in 2016. He never worked for a campaign, but he urged both Republicans and Democrats to care about working class towns like Middletown, Ohio. We 100 percent reject the characterization that he was trying to help Hillary win.”
The report therefore describes a much more direct effort than Vance’s team accepts, while the alleged conversations come from people who say they were involved or had knowledge of them.
