Renowned author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” venture capitalist, and new Republican Senate hopeful, J.D. Vance joined Fox News’ “America Reports” on Monday where he walked back newly unearthed tweets critical of then-candidate Donald Trump.
CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski unearthed the tweets from 2016 that have many calling Vance out for hypocrisy.
Vance told Fox News that he had many regrets about the tweets.
“Like a lot of people, I criticized Trump back in 2016, and I ask folks not to judge me based on what I said in 2016, because I’ve been very open that I did say those critical things and I regret them, and I regret being wrong about the guy. I think he was a good president, I think he made a lot of good decisions for people, and I think he took a lot of flak.” Vance explained to Fox News reporter Alicia Acuna.
“I think … the most important thing, is not what you said five years ago, but whether you’re willing to stand up and take the heat and take the hits for actually defending the interests of the American people,” Vance argued.
(Source: Fox News)
In one tweet, Vance wrote that he found Trump “reprehensible” because he “makes people I care about afraid. Immigrants, Muslims, etc.”
“God wants better of us,” he concluded in the since-deleted tweet.
Vance announced that he would be voting for Evan McMullin in another deleted tweet.
JD Vance deleted his tweet about voting for Evan McMullin.
It was here: https://t.co/4k1Xk8AMgv
But still can be viewed on the WebArchive.https://t.co/uLcCLkbur3 pic.twitter.com/LNofBemmsL
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) July 1, 2021
Vance also deleted a tweet saying he found Trump reprehensible from October 2016. pic.twitter.com/sTYhOpMnPG
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) July 1, 2021
The author also tweeted in response to the Access Hollywood Tape scandal in 2016: “Fellow Christians, everyone is watching us when we apologize for this man. Lord help us.”
Deleted from the day of Access Hollywood, “Lord help us.” pic.twitter.com/5ooexbNUhn
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) July 1, 2021
The final deleted tweet is rather ironic, all things considered.
“In 4 years, I hope people remember that it was those who empathized with Trump’s voters who fought him most aggressively. And it was the cosmopolitan conservatives like Moore and Kudlow who shamefully apologized for him,” he wrote.
Here’s another deleted one pic.twitter.com/PqCm4GNpR1
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) July 2, 2021
Vance is running in a crowded field of candidates eager to replace Sen. Rob Portman following his announced retirement in 2022.
A Trump endorsement would differentiate Vance from the large contingency, especially his Republican opponents, former State Treasurer Josh Mandel, former Ohio Republican Party chair Jane Timken, car dealer Bernie Moreno, and investment banker Mike Gibbons.
It is unclear whether Vance’s pro-Trump shift and his public apology will be enough to score him an endorsement from the former President, let alone the seat.
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