Donald Trump, who is vying for a second term as U.S. President, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. On July 13, 2024, Trump was addressing a campaign rally in Pennsylvania when gunshots suddenly rang out. One bullet grazed his right ear. Though he quickly ducked, and his security team shielded him, Trump was still injured, with blood streaming from his ear and cheek—a disturbing, violent act shown across global media. The attacker, Thomas Crooks, was immediately shot and killed by snipers. Leaders worldwide, including U.S. President Joe Biden, condemned this act of violence, unanimously stating that violence in politics is intolerable. While the U.S. is often accused of fostering political violence in other countries, this incident has now brought the issue home to American soil, with the U.S. establishment itself feeling the heat.
The U.S. presidential election is set for November 5, 2024, pitting Democrat Kamala Harris against Republican Donald Trump. Just a day after the assassination attempt, Trump’s Republican Party officially nominated him as their candidate. Following this, Trump announced J.D. Vance as his running mate (Kamala Harris had previously named Tim Walz as her running mate). Observers see Vance’s selection as aligning with Trump’s ideology. J.D. Vance, a 39-year-old social conservative known for his opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and pornography, also advocates for annual increases in the minimum wage and opposes continuous financial and military aid to Ukraine. He also strongly supports restrictions on Muslim immigrants in the U.S.
Understanding Trump’s choice of Vance as his vice-presidential candidate sheds light on his background. J.D. Vance was born into extreme poverty in Ohio and endured a turbulent childhood, marked by parental neglect and divorce. His mother struggled with substance abuse and remarried, but this marriage, too, ended in divorce. Vance took his stepfather’s name, but after this marriage ended, he was raised by his grandparents, adopting their last name, Vance, permanently.
J.D. Vance served in the U.S. Navy and later earned a law degree from Yale University, starting his political and legal career in Ohio, where he was elected a junior senator in 2023 as a Republican. His wife, Usha, is of Indian Hindu descent, reflecting an interfaith marriage. Under the guidance of a Yale professor, Vance wrote his bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which earned him prominence in American media, including a role as a CNN commentator. His memoir expresses strong opposition to Muslim immigrants in the U.S., and he advocates a tough stance against illegal border crossings, aligning with Trump’s stance on immigration.
Vance’s opposition to Muslims extends beyond his memoir. For example, following the election of British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer as Prime Minister on July 5, 2024, Vance remarked sarcastically, “A truly Islamist country now has a nuclear-armed prime minister.” This comment likely stemmed from the prominent role of British Muslim voters in Starmer’s success, a fact that seems to have unsettled Vance. His statement drew strong criticism from British politicians, such as Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who condemned his Islamophobic and racist remarks, warning that his election as vice president would be unfortunate for the U.S.
The global media is discussing Trump’s decision to choose Vance, analyzing why he made this selection. For example, *Time* magazine’s analyst Eric Cortellessa explained that their shared ideology brought Trump and Vance together. Vance has openly criticized Pakistan in a speech at a U.S. university, echoing Trump’s own stance when he said, “We gave Pakistan billions of dollars, but Pakistan gave us nothing but lies and deceit.” Both Trump and Vance openly support Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon, underscoring a shared ideology that could pose a significant challenge to Pakistan and the wider Islamic world.