'It’s a trap': Far-right activist warned Vance to not accept Trump’s VP offer in leaked texts

07 August 2024

Months of text messages between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and a far-right activist offer a revealing look at former President Donald Trump's 2024 running mate and his close ties to the extreme fringe of the GOP.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that 35 year-old Charles Johnson — a member of the alt right and Holocaust denier who later became a federal informant — leaked his texts via the encrypted messaging app Signal with the Hillbilly Elegy author to the publication dating back to 2022. The Post reported that Johnson positioned himself as a "mentor" to the Ohio Republican, telling him the day after he was elected that he felt a need to "keep [him] out of trouble."

However, Vance's office insisted to the outlet that the Ohio senator wasn't close with Johnson, and that the far-right conspiracy theorist frequently "spam texted" Vance.

"JD usually ignored him, but occasionally responded to push back against things he said," Vance spokesperson William Martin told the Post.

However, the texts show that Vance corresponded with Johnson and sometimes offered unsolicited takes on legislative affairs, like funding to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. After Republicans blocked a foreign aid package in 2023, Vance texted Johnson about his unwillingness to support a new round of appropriations for Kyiv.

"Dude I won’t even take calls from Ukraine," Vance texted. "Two very senior guys reached out to me. The head of their intel. The head of the Air Force. B—ing about F16s."

In June of this year, when it was revealed that Vance was on Trump's shortlist for potential running mates, Johnson texted him: "Congratulations. Good luck." Six days later, the Ohio senator replied: "For what? You assume too much."

At that point, Johnson texted Vance an ominous warning: "Don't take it when it's offered. It's a trap." This prompted the eventual 2024 GOP vice presidential nominee to respond with: "Haha. Doubt it's offered. We'll see."

Beyond their shared political views, Johnson and Vance have something else in common: Their ties to far-right billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel. The Palantir founder bankrolled Vance's 2022 Senate campaign with a massive infusion of $15 million via a super PAC that helped him win a hotly contested primary and eventually earn Trump's coveted endorsement. And Thiel worked in coordination with Johnson in his lawsuit against the now-defunct online publication Gawker.

Last year, Johnson — who has been a federal informant for several years – also outed Thiel as a federal informant dating back to 2021. Business Insider reported in October that Thiel worked with the FBI's Los Angeles office to shed light on foreign influence in the tech sector.

Click here to read the Post's report in its entirety (subscription required).

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