International
Who is JD Vance, Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee?
James David Vance (Ohio, 1984), who was chosen today by Donald Trump as his vice presidential nominee for the race for the White House, was recently described by the Republican leader as a “young Abraham Lincoln” who even “looks good in a beard.”
The detail, though it may seem insignificant, says a lot in this case about the respect that Trump, who is widely known to detest facial hair, now professes for this emerging figure within the party, who went from experiencing a real personal drama and serving as a marine in the Iraq war to becoming a best-selling author.
Long before becoming a senator for Ohio, JD, as he is popularly known, suffered a childhood exposed to violence, guns and drug use in Middletown, his hometown in that state neighboring Pennsylvania, where former President Trump was shot in his right ear this Saturday.
Their grim reality was that of many white families in declining US manufacturing cities in the 1990s.
His parents’ constant bickering led to a divorce, after which JD would begin to use his mother’s surname Vance instead of his father’s Bowman; and his upbringing would fall under the care of his fierce grandmother, whom he called “Mamaw,” whose teachings shaped the person and politician he is today.
In his small town in the Appalachians, little JD Vance learned that you don’t choose your family, but you have to love it anyway, that Christianity was his salvation, and that if he ever failed, there would always be the 19 pistols that “Mamaw” kept at home.
This heritage of traditional values, and the desire for a change of scenery, motivated him to enlist in the US Marine Corps and serve in the Iraq War (2003).
In 2005, his grandmother passed away and JD understood that his military career was over and he had to focus on his studies in Political Science and Philosophy at Ohio State University, which he graduated cum laude, before moving on to Yale Law School.
Echoes of that “white trash” childhood – a derogatory term used in the country to refer to lower-class and dysfunctional families – resonated once again in JD’s head a decade later, choosing to put aside his buoyant jobs among California law firms and technology companies to write his memoirs.
Titled ‘Hillbilly Elegy’, they were published in 2016 by HarperCollins and were a hit in the publishing industry from the start.
Media such as The New York Times and CNN, where he would soon become a political commentator, enshrined the virtues of a work with such an impact that it made its way into the presidential battle between Trump himself and Democrat Hillary Clinton, and in 2020 it would arrive as a film on Netflix.
“I can’t stand Trump. I’m afraid he’s taking the white working class into a very dark place,” Vance said in an interview with NPR in 2016.
Until then, JD had shown a more moderate and socially-minded profile, even founding an NGO to protect children who are victims of difficult environments like his own, but in recent years he has been shifting towards a conservatism more in line with the MAGA (‘Make America Great Again’) core.
“My uncle just asked me if I was glad I won. If I hadn’t, it would have been another terrible homecoming. In the Vance family , we always pay attention to the important things,” said JD, laughing, upon winning the seat of senator for Ohio in 2022.
Once in office, he publicly apologized to Trump for his 2016 statements, calling them “a mistake.”
He has recently strongly defended Israeli attacks on Gaza and harshly criticized the Biden administration for its economic management.
Father of three children and married to a woman of Appalachian Indian origins, Vance now faces another major life challenge subject to the unpredictable Trump and his way of working in teams, which has made the figure of the vice president a somewhat irrelevant position; see the case of Mike Pence.
“JD is kissing my ass because he needs my support,” said the former president when the vice president – if there is a Republican victory – joined the race for the Senate.
Months later, at a joint event in East Palestine, Ohio, they closed ranks, criticizing Biden for the derailment of a chemical train, and Trump defined JD as “a young star, a great senator and a true fighter” whose bushy beard doesn’t bother him.
International
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday announced legislation to establish a federal anti-corruption office aimed at strengthening oversight of the executive branch and preventing future presidents from using the White House for personal financial gain.
Schumer said the proposal was prompted by what he described as President Donald Trump’s misuse of the presidencyto benefit his family’s business interests.
“In just 18 months, the Trump family has made more than $4 billion by exploiting the influence of the presidency,” Schumer alleged.
The New York senator also argued that the alleged corruption has had direct economic consequences for American households.
“The same corrupt practices Trump is using to pocket billions of dollars are also forcing Americans to pay, on average, $3,100 more each year because of the rising cost of living,” he said.
The legislation was introduced alongside Democratic Senators Alex Padilla, Jeff Merkley, and Andy Kim.
According to Schumer, the bill has two primary objectives: “First, to return money to the American people. Second, to ensure that no one can ever steal from them again.”
He added that the proposal would create legal mechanisms allowing citizens to seek the recovery of funds allegedly obtained through government corruption.
“The fact that Trump stole money from the American people does not make it his. Americans deserve to get that money back,” Schumer said.
Under the proposed legislation, any U.S. citizen—as well as state attorneys general acting on behalf of their residents—would be authorized to file civil lawsuits to recover funds allegedly acquired through corrupt practices by public officials.
“Our bill would empower any individual, including a state attorney general acting on behalf of the people of that state, to bring legal action to recover money stolen from the public through government corruption,” Schumer said.
The measure is expected to face debate in Congress, where Republicans and Democrats remain deeply divided over executive accountability and the scope of presidential powers.
International
Trump Administration Urges Latin America to Increase Defense Spending Against Organized Crime
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Latin American countries to increase investment in defense and security to strengthen the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking networks.
The appeal was made by Elbridge Colby, the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, in an article published by Americas Quarterly. Colby argued that governments across the region should assume greater responsibility for protecting their territories from transnational criminal organizations.
“It is essential that our neighbors in the region invest more in their own defense and security. There is no reason why any country, especially those facing significant narco-terrorist threats, should spend so little on defense,” Colby wrote.
The Pentagon official described it as “absurd” that some Latin American nations allocate less than 1% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense, although he did not identify the countries. He contrasted that with NATO members in Europe, many of which are increasing defense expenditures to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% devoted to security-related investments.
Colby, who participated earlier this month in the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas in Cusco, Peru, said there is “a historic opportunity” for the United States and its regional partners to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking and other transnational threats.
He also defended the proposed Shield of the Americas, a military partnership promoted by the Trump administration to combat organized crime and supported by several conservative governments in the region. The initiative does not include Brazil or Mexico.
In addition, Colby said the administration’s security strategy includes an updated interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, the long-standing U.S. foreign policy principle that historically viewed Latin America as part of Washington’s sphere of influence.
“Of course, we recognize that the Monroe Doctrine is controversial in many circles. But it is also frequently misunderstood,” he said.
According to Colby, the United States is not seeking “exploitation, subordination or dependence,” but rather a region characterized by greater prosperity, stability and security.
He also stated that Washington is prepared to use “all available resources,” including the U.S. Armed Forces, to combat drug trafficking and irregular migration. Colby highlighted ongoing counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean, despite criticism from human rights organizations that have questioned some missions over allegations of extrajudicial killings in international waters.
International
FAO and WFP Seek $42 Million to Prepare Southern Africa for Unprecedented El Niño
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday appealed for $42 million to help vulnerable communities in southern Africa prepare for what is expected to be an unprecedented El Niño event.
The funding will enable humanitarian agencies to protect millions of people before worsening weather conditions severely affect agricultural production across the region.
Following a meeting with partners in Maputo, Mozambique, the two UN agencies said they still need to secure $42 million of the $54 million required to assist 2.3 million people in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
In a joint statement, FAO and WFP said the appeal marks the first time the two organizations have launched a large-scale, forward-looking call for anticipatory action, warning that insufficient funding could push the region’s most vulnerable families into a major food security crisis.
“The period before the main planting season is critical for taking action,” said José Luis Fernández, FAO Representative in Mozambique. He stressed that early intervention is both more effective and less costly than responding after crops have failed and productive assets have already been lost.
“With timely and flexible financing, we can help farmers access appropriate seeds and agricultural inputs, protect livestock and water resources, and sustain food production before reduced rainfall causes irreversible damage,” Fernández said.
Claire Conan, WFP Representative in Mozambique, emphasized that acting before disasters strike is more efficient and cost-effective than responding after communities have lost their livelihoods. She added that the agency is working closely with the Mozambican government to translate climate forecasts into preventive measures aimed at reducing the impact of droughts and floods.
The planned interventions include supporting farmers, strengthening food production systems and protecting the food security of the region’s most vulnerable households, with the goal of reducing the risk of widespread hunger.
El Niño is a recurring climate phenomenon characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and changes in atmospheric circulation, disrupting weather patterns around the world. Its most recent episode, between 2023 and 2024, was associated with record global temperatures, severe droughts across southern Africa, Central America and northern South America, as well as destructive wildfires, torrential rainfall and widespread flooding.
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
Trump Administration Urges Latin America to Increase Defense Spending Against Organized Crime
FAO and WFP Seek $42 Million to Prepare Southern Africa for Unprecedented El Niño
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