JD Vance addresses past criticism of Trump after he's chosen as VP: 'Bought into media's lies and distortions'
The Ohio senator once labeled his current running mate as 'noxious' and a 'cynical a--hole'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ohio Senator JD Vance said Monday he’s trying to "enjoy the ride" after former President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was picking the "Hillbilly Elegy" author as his 2024 running mate.
Vance told Fox News host Sean Hannity that Trump called and offered him the vice presidential nominee position, saying he believes the freshman senator can help him win in November.
"[Trump] just said, look, I think I've got to go save this country. I think you're the guy who could help me in the best way. You can help me govern, you can help me win, you can help me in some of these Midwestern states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and so forth," Vance recalled on "Hannity."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US Senator from Ohio and 2024 Republican vice-president candidate J. D. Vance appears on-screen during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024 (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
He added that he’s grown closer to Trump since the former president endorsed him in the 2022 Ohio Senate race, a move Vance believes helped secure his victory against former Rep. Tim Ryan.
"I would not have won that race without Donald Trump's endorsement, and the president's trust then and his partnership since then, has been something I value a great deal," he said.
Vance, a former vocal Trump critic who once labeled his current running mate as "noxious" and a "cynical a**hole," said he doesn’t hide from his changing views on the former president over the past few years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump's pick for Vice President, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance arrive on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
"I was certainly skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016, but President Trump was a great president, and he changed my mind," the freshman senator said. "I think he changed the minds of a lot of Americans because, again, he delivered that peace and prosperity."
Vance told former CBS anchor Charlie Rose in a 2016 interview that he’s a "‘Never Trump guy.’" "‘I never liked him,’" he told Rose.
TRUMP CAMPAIGN OUTLINES KEY REASONS WHY VANCE WAS LAST MAN STANDING IN VEEPSTAKES: ‘SAME ILK’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hannity pressed the Marine veteran on his fierce support for Trump in recent years after he was incredibly critical of him in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election.
Republican Vice Presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) (L) speaks to Fox News anchor Sean Hannity
"I bought into the media's lies and distortions. I bought into this idea that somehow he was going to be so different, a terrible threat to democracy. It was a joke," Vance responded.
He added that he believes President Biden is the one who’s trying to "undermine" the American rule of law and ultimately thinks Trump did a great job during his presidency.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I actually think it's a good thing when you see somebody, you were wrong about him, you ought to admit the mistake and admit that you were wrong," he said.
JOCKEYING BEGINS OVER VANCE'S SENATE SEAT AFTER TRUMP NOMINATES RUNNING MATE
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump applauds with Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 15, 2024. (REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)
The former Silicon Valley venture capitalist told Hannity it's an "incredible honor" to be chosen as VP, and he’s ready to hit the ground running to deliver the case to the American people on what a second Trump term would look like.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I'm so grounded, man. My faith, I got to spend a few hours with my wife and kids today. We've got a 7-year-old, a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old. Things are crazy, and things are way different, but I'm still a husband and a dad first," Vance said. "And that's going to make me a very happy guy over the next four months."
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The 2024 GOP vice presidential nominee is slated to deliver remarks on day three of the RNC in Milwaukee.