JD Vance's 'I hate the police' remark in emails to classmate raises eyebrows as he joins Trump's ticket

NEW YORK: A 2014 remark by Ohio Senator JD Vance, saying 'I hate the police', has resurfaced just as he joins GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s ticket, who was recently endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO)

On Saturday, July 27, The New York Times unveiled a trove of 90 emails and text messages from Vance spanning from 2014 to 2017. These communications, provided by Vance's former law school friend, Sofia Nelson, reveal a starkly different perspective from the one Vance presents today.

JD Vance’s past police remark clashes with Donald Trump’s recent law enforcement endorsement

Sofia Nelson, who identifies as transgender, and JD Vance fell out in 2021 over Vance’s support for a controversial Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Their conversations, shared with the Times, offer a window into Vance’s past views on a range of issues, from police reform to political candidates like Trump

The remark in question was made on August 9, 2014, a pivotal time when the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was gaining momentum in response to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. Following this event, Nelson suggested that police officers should be required to wear body cameras. Vance’s response, “I hate the police. Given the number of negative experiences I've had in the past few years, I can't imagine what a Black guy goes through," Vance reportedly replied to Nelson. 

Nevertheless, the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) recently endorsed Trump, praising his support for law enforcement. "The NAPO endorsement recognizes Mr. Trump's steadfast and public support for our men and women that represent the thin blue line protecting our communities," the Trump campaign posted on their official X account on July 24. 

Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for Vance's campaign, dismissed the leaked messages as outdated and taken out of context. “It’s unfortunate this individual chose to leak decade-old private conversations between friends to The New York Times,” Schroeder stated. "Senator Vance values his friendships with individuals across the political spectrum. He has been open about the fact that some of his views from a decade ago began to change after becoming a dad and starting a family, and he has thoroughly explained why he changed his mind on President Trump. Despite their disagreements, Senator Vance cares for Sofia and wishes Sofia the very best." 

Critics question JD Vance’s credibility amid Joe Biden's exit

Despite these explanations, Critics, including Nathan Robinson of Current Affairs magazine and Ron Filipkowski of MeidasTouch have seized on the discrepancy, questioning the sincerity of JD Vance’s transformation and his alignment with Trump’s "law and order" campaign. "I don't like the police either but a convicted felon and a guy who hates the police trying to run a 'law and order' campaign against a harsh prosecutor seems unlikely to work," Robinson who shared a screenshot of the Times quote, penned on X.

The 45th President was found guilty of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to his criminal hush money case but maintains his innocence and plans to appeal. Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of the left-leaning MeidasTouch penned, "JD Vance wrote to his friend, in 2014, 'I hate the police.' All the Trump campaign's junk about Harris and defund the police can't overcome that. Your guy in writing said he hates cops because of how they treat black people. You are so screwed."

On July 21, President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from this year’s presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. A former California attorney general and senator, Harris has since launched her own presidential campaign. Despite doubts from some quarters about Harris's ability to defeat Trump, her campaign has gained significant traction, raising $200 million in just one week following Biden's exit, per CBS. She now has nearly 100 days to demonstrate her candidacy to voters before the November 5 election.

JD Vance once compared Donald Trump to Hitler

Adding to the controversy, Vance's past criticisms of Trump, including calling him "America’s Hitler," have been overshadowed by his recent endorsement by the former president.

As the 2016 presidential election approached, Vance was a vocal critic of Trump publicly disparaging him as an "idiot" and describing him as "reprehensible." Privately, Vance took his critique further, likening Trump to Adolf Hitler.

"I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a**hole like Nixon who wouldn't be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he's America's Hitler," he wrote in a 2016 Facebook message to an associate. When this Hitler comparison surfaced in 2022, a spokesperson for Vance did not dispute its accuracy but emphasized that Vance’s views had changed by the time Vance launched his Senate campaign.

Netizens react to JD Vance's past police remarks

Social media users are probing further into JD Vance's past, questioning whether his criticism of the police was a reaction to systemic issues or an indication of a broader ideological shift.

"Wow, there really is a treasure trove out there. This guy did a number on his own integrity to be VP. Power corrupts," said a user.

"And the hits keep rolling in!" another added.

"Not trying to defend Vance or MAGA but there have been some truly awful police shootings or killings of innocent people which could provoke such a reaction from a large percentage of people. Especially in the heat of the moment. The problem here is he didn’t categorize what kind of police he hates, so it includes all - regardless of their conduct. I am interested in his interactions with the police though," read a tweet.

"He sees to be a good man if he could condemn the behavior of Police against blacks," stated an individual.

"JD, at some point, must’ve said DEFUND THE POLICE. Let’s find it tweeps," claimed another.

"Party of the police hates the police, again," commented an individual.

"Goes to show how fake the GOP really is," tweeted a user.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.