Germany's Scholz found book written by Trump's VP pick 'touching'

The man Donald Trump has chosen to be his running mate in November's presidential election is the author of a book that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz found "touching."

In his 2016 autobiographical book "Hillbilly Elegy," JD Vance described the crisis of the white working class in the US as industries shuttered.

It became a bestseller there - and Scholz was also a fan.

But Scholz has long since taken a more critical view of the author, who once criticized Trump as "cultural heroin" but later became a US senator with Trump's support. Vance, 39, was announced on Monday as Trump's pick for vice president.

"(It) is a very touching personal story of how a young man with poor starting conditions makes his way," Scholz said of the book in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper in July 2023.

Scholz even said the book had moved him to tears, but that he found the positions Vance later took to be "tragic."

"From a self-declared conservative opponent of Donald Trump, who has a razor-sharp analysis of the injustices of American society and only finds a way out for himself with luck and his military career, Vance now seems to have turned into a fiery supporter of this right-wing populist in order to gain his support," the chancellor said.

However, Scholz added that Vance's book had helped him to understand the causes of Trumpism.

"And it also helped me to sharpen my own understanding of what is important for modern, progressive, I would say social democratic politics in the 21st century," Scholz said in his interview.

"All the many who work, toil and keep the place running must remain relevant. They must have the prospect of a good future for themselves and their children and be shown respect."