Middletown native JD Vance is Trump's VP candidate

JD Vance will join Donald Trump on the Republican ticket this November.

The announcement was made by Trump on Truth Social Monday as the Republican National Convention kicked off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance from the Great State of Ohio," Trump wrote on the social media site.

Donald Trump called Sen. JD Vance with the news that he was selecting him as his running mate roughly 20 minutes before announcing it on Truth Social, a source familiar with the call told ABC News.

Truth Social

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was seen providing additional security for Vance over the weekend, after former President Donald Trump survived an apparent assassination attempt on Saturday.

Gov. Mike DeWine "approved" a request for security Saturday at 6:40 p.m., according to the governor's spokesperson, Dan Tierney. Vance lives on the east side of Cincinnati, where troopers were monitoring his home.

Following the announcement that Vance would be Trump's VP pick, DeWine issued a statement congratulating the Senator:

Congratulations to Ohio's Senator J.D. Vance on being chosen by President Trump to be his running mate.

J.D. is a father, military veteran, best-selling author, and has served Ohio well as our U.S. Senator. In addition, J.D.’s unique life story will resonate with Republicans and Independent voters across the country.

J.D. will also bring a new generational perspective to the ticket.

A son of Middletown, Ohio, J.D. can relate to the many Americans who are struggling right now to make ends meet in this era of crushing inflation, and a housing market that is unaffordable and shutting many out of a chance at achieving the American dream.

J.D. also knows that securing our border is imperative.

President Trump has made a great choice and Senator Vance will be a great partner as they campaign together this fall.

Vance and Trump were both in Indian Hill in May for a private fundraiser for Trump's presidential campaign.

Other than Vance, Trump also considered South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

The Ohio GOP issued a statement following the announcement, saying Vance "is the best choice for America."

Across the aisle, Cincinnati-area Congressman Greg Landsman, a Democrat, said Trump's choice of Vance for VP was not the right choice just days after the apparent assassination attempt on Trump.

"Following the horrific assassination attempt of the former President, Mr. Trump, President Joe Biden, and Congressman Landsman all called for unity in our politics," read an email from Landsman's office. "Mr. Vance is not a unity selection. He gained fame and wealth by disrespecting Southwest Ohio, and he made national headlines when he compared Donald Trump to Hitler during the 2016 election. The brand of politics Mr. Vance has practiced does not meet the seriousness of this moment."

The Middletown, Ohio native and "Hillbilly Elegy" author was endorsed by Trump during his run for the Ohio Senate, though the pair's relationship has occasionally been rocky.

Trump boosted Vance's career, and Vance has returned the favor by unceasingly defending Trump's policies and behavior. His debating skills, ability to articulate Trump's vision and fund-raising prowess are all potential assets for Vance, those familiar with the vetting process say.

It's far from where Vance's relationship to Trump started. His best-selling book gained Vance a reputation as a “Trump whisperer” able to help explain the maverick New York businessman's appeal in middle America, but Vance was a never-Trumper in 2016. He called Trump “dangerous” and “unfit” for office. Vance, whose wife, lawyer Usha Chilukuri Vance, is Indian-American and the mother of their three children, also criticized Trump's racist rhetoric, saying he could be “America's Hitler.”

But not everyone sees the book — later adapted into a Ron Howard-directed film, starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams — that way. It ignited criticism from scholars across Appalachia, many of whom said it trafficked in cheap stereotypes and failed to diagnose the origins of the region's troubled history or offer workable policy solutions.

Some city officials in Middletown still cringe at its mention. They fear their town has forever been branded a forsaken backwater, even as investments pour into local manufacturing, infrastructure and recreational opportunities.