JD Vance accepts Trump's VP nomination as he takes centre stage at day 3 of the RNC

On the third day of the Republican National Convention, Former US President Donald Trump’s Vice Presidential pick, JD Vance took centre stage. While starting off his speech, the Republican Senator from Ohio mentioned the assassination attempt against Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, earlier this week.

He insisted that “tonight is a night of hope” and a “celebration of what America once was”. But he painted a picture of what could have happened if things went wrong during the fatal shooting incident. “Instead of a day of celebration, this could have been a day of heartache and mourning,” he averred.

In his speech, Vance officially accepted Trump’s nomination to be his vice presidential candidate for the 2024 US presidential elections. “For the last eight years, President Trump has given everything he has to fight for the people of our country,” he furthered. Vance was introduced by his wife Usha Vance who lauded Vance’s growth.

“Raised by his grandmother through tough times, chosen to help lead our country through some of its greatest challenges. I am grateful to all of you for the trust you’ve placed in him and our family,” she said.

JD Vance slams Biden 

During his address, Vance scrutinised Joe Bdien’s political career and called out his support for America’s involvement in the Iraq war. He also slammed Biden for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which he claimed benefited the Mexicans.

‘The people who govern this country have failed and failed again," Vance told the charged-up gathering. “As always, America’s ruling class wrote the checks, communities like mine paid the price. For decades that divide between the few with their power and comfort in Washington and the rest of us only widened. From Iraq to Afghanistan, from the financial crisis to the Great Recession, from open borders to stagnating wages, the people who govern this country have failed and failed again," he added.

He insisted that things started changing for good after Trump came onto the political scene. “That is, of course, until a guy named Donald J Trump came along. President Trump represents America’s last best hope to restore what, if lost, may never be found again,” he exclaimed, which was followed by chants of “Joe must go”.

Vance recalls his rough childhood 

While recalling his rough childhood, the Ohio Senator shared a story about his grandmother. Making his pro-gun stance clear, Vance mentioned that there were 19 guns stashed around his grandmother’s house.

“My Mamaw died shortly before I left for Iraq in 2005, and when we went through her things we found 19 loaded handguns,” Vance said, prompting cheers and chants of “Mamaw.”

“Now, the thing is, they were stashed all over her house … This frail old woman made sure that no matter where she was, she was within arm’s length of whatever she needed to protect her family,” he added.

Vance also spoke candidly about his mother’s struggle with addiction and lauded the fact that she’ll be 10 years sober. The Republican politician went on to propose that they celebrate her 10-year mark of sobriety in the White House in January.

Trump’s VP pick also recalled his ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ upbringing and made it clear that he would never forget his roots. “I promise you one more thing to the people of Middletown Ohio and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio and every corner of our nation, I promise you this: I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from,” said Vance, who became famous for his memoir focused on working-class white America.

Slams ‘foreign labour’ but lauds South Asians 

In his address, Vance made it clear that under the Trump administration, the United States won’t import labour. “We won’t cater to Wall Street, we’ll commit to the working man. We won’t buy energy from countries that hate us, we’ll get it right here,” he added.

He also stated that the Trump administration will “make sure our allies share in the burden of securing world peace” and “send our kids to war only when we must”. On immigration, he maintained that “when we allow newcomers into our country, we allow them on our terms”.

However, he lauded the South Asian community in the United States and said that he has an “obvious bias,” because his wife came from an immigrant family.

“I pledge to every American that no matter your party I will give everything I have to serve you and to make this country a place where every dream you have for yourself, your family, and your country will be possible once again,” he concluded.