Quick Hit:

Former President Donald Trump’s selection of Ohio Senator J. D. Vance as his running mate is seen as an effort to cultivate a counter-elite that could make a second Trump administration more effective.

Key Details:

• J. D. Vance’s background includes the Marines, Yale Law, venture capital, and a best-selling book.
• Vance has shifted from elite institutions to supporting Trump, criticizing the establishment's hypocrisy and corruption.
• Influential figures like Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, and Bill Ackman are now supporting Trump, indicating a shift in elite support.

Diving Deeper:

Former President Donald Trump’s selection of Ohio Senator J. D. Vance as his running mate has sparked significant discussion. The mainstream media frames Vance as a postliberal “threat to democracy,” while Trump’s supporters celebrate him as a bridge to a new generation.

However, J. D. Vance's selection aims to cultivate a counter-elite, potentially making a second Trump administration more effective. Vance’s biographical arc tells the story of an all-American kid who rose from humble beginnings, served in the Marines, attended Yale Law, and succeeded in venture capital and as a best-selling author. He climbed the ladder in academia, finance, and business, but became disillusioned with the elite’s hypocrisy and corruption, leading him to embrace Donald Trump.

The author of the City Journal op-ed suggests, “Some have criticized this as a cynical move, but my sense is that it is the opposite. A cynic would have continued to build an elite résumé; Vance sacrificed his respectability within a certain stratum, assumed considerable risk by moving toward Trump, and, in my view, was genuinely convinced that the establishment, both Left and Right, had exhausted itself and had to be opposed.”

Now, Vance has not only been selected as a vice-presidential nominee but also charted the path for an emerging conservative counter-elite. Influential figures like Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, David Sacks, and Bill Ackman have publicly moved toward Trump. Even some of Trump’s former adversaries, such as Mark Zuckerberg, have expressed cautious admiration for the former president.

Vance’s ability to position himself at the center of this counter-elite is critical. The op-ed notes, “He has been in the boardrooms, made the pitches, and built the relationships. He speaks their language. They can do business together.” This represents a significant shift from the first Trump administration, where institutional elites often could not express admiration for Trump without political repercussions.

During Trump’s first term, he led through charismatic authority but faced considerable staff turnover and lacked institutional buy-in. This is not a problem for Democrats, whose institutional strength is immense. For a Republican president, however, a supportive counter-elite is essential for success.

The op-ed further elaborates, “This is where Vance can help with Trump’s agenda. He can serve as a translator, turning Trump’s charismatic vision into a rational-legalistic formula. And he can lead the emerging right-wing counter-elite, so that Trump’s policies, which enjoy a significant base of support among the working and middle classes, can gain greater traction within elite institutions.”

The irony of Trump’s gilded childhood contrasted with Vance’s troubled upbringing is notable. Yet, Trump has a magnetic attachment to the masses, while Vance appeals to a sector of the elite. Trump’s choice of Vance is a strategic move to advance his agenda and ensure its future.

Should Trump win in November, Vance’s formation of a durable counter-elite could make this one of the most consequential vice-presidential selections in modern history.