JD Vance is just getting started

Today, Explained

Vox

News, Daily News, Politics

4.4 • 9.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 December 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From Twitter feuds to memes to providing cover for President Trump, the vice president had a big year. Up next, the midterms. And then — the presidency? This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Miranda Kennedy and Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Vice President JD Vance at the Congressional Ball last week. Photo by Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ian Ward, who writes for Politico, became interested in J.D. Vance a few years ago when he realized
0:06.3	who else was interested in J.D. Vance. I was talking to a lot of young MAGA conservatives in
0:13.3	Washington, who I was asking, who on the national stage shares your worldview, and so many of them
0:19.9	were telling me that it was J.D. Vance and J.D. Vance
0:23.1	alone, who really encapsulated a lot of the political and intellectual currents that were swirling
0:28.0	in that space.
0:29.1	Ian went on to spend time with Vance, who arguably is like no other vice president in history.
0:34.6	In 2025, yes, he played the traditional role of Veep, traveling to Europe,
0:38.8	defending his president, but he consistently pulled focus online, brawling with Randos on Twitter,
0:45.2	inserting himself into the Nikki Cardi beef, RTEing memes and rumors, and, like me, hosting a podcast.
0:51.4	Coming up on today, explained J.D. Vance, vacillating between Trump-era parent and Twitter
0:56.1	troll, is just getting started.
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	...

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