J.D. Vance, who was once a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, made strong negative remarks about him before his rise in politics, including calling Trump an "idiot," labeling him "reprehensible," and even comparing him to "America's Hitler." He publicly identified as a "Never Trump guy" and expressed that Trump was unfit for the presidency, once stating he would vote for a third-party candidate over Trump in 2016. Vance's opposition was rooted in concerns about Trump's rhetoric and style, as well as policy differences at the time. However, over time, especially during his 2022 Senate campaign, Vance's stance shifted significantly. He apologized for his earlier comments, deleted critical tweets, and acknowledged that he had been wrong about Trump. Vance eventually became a strong supporter and was selected by Trump as his running mate in the 2024 presidential election. He credits this change to recognizing substantive policy alignments with Trump on issues like trade, immigration, and foreign policy, rather than Trump's style. Vance has since praised Trump's achievements on the economy, border security, and rising wages, emphasizing honesty in admitting his change of heart. This transformation from a harsh critic to a key ally highlights Vance's political evolution and his current alignment with Trump's MAGA agenda, although some critics view his shift as opportunistic. In public discourse, Vance sometimes deflects attention from his past critiques by stressing the importance of growth and admitting mistakes.