Vice President JD Vance’s political trajectory has been closely scrutinised, but a new report suggests he also tried to influence the 2016 presidential race by reaching out to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. According to Vanity Fair, insiders claim Vance sought contact with senior Clinton adviser Jake Sullivan, offering assistance as the Democratic nominee pushed to win the general election.
Vance eventually arranged a meeting with Sullivan, where the two discussed strategies for the so‑called Blue Wall states—Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Vance, a commentator known for his book Hillbilly Elegy and deep ties to the Rust Belt, warned that Clinton needed to address the rising populist sentiment in these regions and urged her to apologise for past foreign‑policy decisions, including the Iraq War, to resonate with voters who felt neglected.
A separate source close to Sullivan confirmed the meeting and said Vance urged the campaign to “focus” on defeating Donald Trump, specifically calling for a response to Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” remark that conservatives and the Trump campaign seized upon. Clinton ultimately lost all four states that Vance had flagged, as Trump capitalised on anti‑establishment anger.
Vance’s office rejected the claim that he sought to help Clinton win, stating the vice‑president “100 percent rejects the characterization that he was trying to help Hillary win.” However, other witnesses said Vance’s motives were driven by a stronger dislike for Trump than for Clinton. In 2016, Vance had described Trump as a potential “America’s Hitler” in a text to a friend and criticised the GOP’s focus on lower‑income white voters. In a June interview with Newsweek, Vance reflected on his earlier misjudgements, admitting that he had underestimated Trump’s impact and the fragility of American institutions.
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