'Unvarnished thoughts' and millennial messaging: Why Vance’s online habit gives 'consultants heartburn'
Like President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance has an X “habit,” Philip Wegmann writes at Real Clear Politics. The website just so happens to be owned by another prolific poster, Trump advisor Elon Musk.
Vance “tweeted, and tweeted, and tweeted, pressing send no less than 74 times in his first 30 days in office. Of course, those are rookie numbers compared to his boss, who reshaped the presidency with his tens-of-thousands of social media posts... Trump supporters have been hooked for a decade. They like their politicians unfiltered and expect the same kind of direct-to-consumer stream of consciousness from the president’s new Hillbilly Apprentice. There is no learning curve here for the vice president though. When it comes to social media, said Alex Bruesewitz, a top Trump advisor, the two men are ‘cut from the same cloth,” writes Wegmann.
“JD is giving you his unvarnished thoughts on Twitter,” a friend told Real Clear Politics. “If he sees something interesting, political or non-political, he might reply.”
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Second Lady Usha Vance even encouraged her husband to be nicer in his posts. “I don’t know that I’ll take that advice,” he said at CPAC last week, adding, “The best advice she gave me is don’t let them filter you.” He, not his communications staff, reportedly writes the posts.
Vance recently called former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan a “dummy.”
He also drew attention recently for a post dismissing the power of the courts. “If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that's also illegal. Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power,” he said.
“Anytime a politician writes their own tweets it can give their consultants heartburn,” said Ryan Girdusky. Girdusky met Vance over X, then Twitter, and ran a super PAC supporting his Senate bid.
“It is very easy when you’re in Congress to fall into the habit of only talking to TV bookers, reporters, or donors,” he said. The vice president “is deliberately using social media to try to connect with people outside the beltway.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) told RCP that he is a fan of Vance's posts. “In a constitutional republic like ours, the democratic process itself benefits materially from people having direct access to elected officials."
As a millennial, Vance grew up alongside the development of social media. He is “the first of his generation to serve as vice president, and Vance, 40, recognizes that the medium itself is the message,” writes Wegmann.
“JD is setting the new standard for politics, and voters will demand even more authenticity from their leaders,” said political operative and podcaster John Ashbrook.
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“Vance doesn’t seem like he will log off anytime soon,” Wegmann writes.
