Hillbilly Vance And Rich Trump Are Likable For The Same Reason

With a president like Donald Trump, who would have thought a vice president could add any more entertainment value or personality to his administration? Yet J.D. Vance is doing that very thing. 

Last weekend, Vance made a noteworthy trip to Greenland. He and Trump have been toying with adding the island to the great American melting pot. Yet the portion of the trip that received perhaps the most buzz didn’t come from serious talks of annexation.

In a short clip, the vice president can be seen telling soldiers, “Please, at ease! Good Lord, sit down and eat!” and, “It’s cold as sh-t here! Nobody told me!” His nature is jovial, his tone relaxed, and the laughter echoing from the officers confirms he was well received.

Photos also recently surfaced of Vance wearing a red “Once A Marine, Always A Marine” baseball cap, eating lunch with a group of Marines at Quantico in Virginia. There too he was seen smiling and laughing, the picture of a true-blooded, down-to-earth American. 

The term “politician” has become dirty, linked with imagery of elitist public figures who are well-dressed, haughty, and self-important. As the American people have gotten to know Vance, they have grown to see him not as a typical politician but as a person. They see Vance the father, carrying his young children up the steps of Air Force 2. They see Vance the husband, making jokes with his wife that don’t feel scripted. They see Vance on X, posting memes and having fun in the modern public square. 

Vance has learned one of the secret ingredients behind Trump’s success: He’s relatable. This isn’t a new strategy, of course. Obama tried the regular Joe schtick — complete with one-liners and rolled-up shirt sleeves — before Trump ever mastered the craft.

Despite his fortune, however, Trump was believable because he spoke like a real person. His distinct sense of humor helped. And he didn’t speak down to voters with big words and nebulous talking points to make himself seem superior. Trump’s charm came from his ability to state universal truths, make people laugh, slap world leaders on the back, and have gags at the ready, such as installing a Diet Coke button on his Oval Office desk. These moments endeared the public to Trump and helped him shed the hateful narrative the Democrat Party sought to encase him in. 

Vance has found similar success. On Tuesday, Vance corrected the corrupt media narrative that the Trump administration had allowed an “innocent father” to be sent to a prison in El Salvador. “Here are the relevant facts: 1) The man is an illegal immigrant with no right to be in our country. 2) An immigration judge determined he was a member of the MS-13 gang. 3) Because he is not a citizen, he does not get a full jury trial by peers. In other words, whatever ‘due process’ he was entitled to, he received,” Vance wrote.

Vance’s frequent posts like this do so much more than merely expose the corporate media’s propaganda. Unlike Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ canned social media approach, Vance freely interacts with the administration’s critics and communicates his reasoning. He does exactly what average Americans do when they have conversations online.

Over the past few months, Vance has also been known to post memes and engage in popular discourse. His sense of humor is inimitable, while Democrats’ attempts to replicate online cultural trends feel manufactured. Former Vice President Harris came across as stiff and phony in her efforts to appear relatable. Vance’s online engagement is less lab tested, more off the cuff. This removes the pomp and circumstance associated with esteemed public officials and allows Americans to feel like they truly know the young VP.

For the Trump administration, politics is not the art of compromise; it’s the art of building real relationships. Trump has filled various roles throughout his life, from real estate magnate to television star to public official, but he has always carefully crafted a relationship with his audience. This strategy gave the conservative movement palpable success in 2016 and 2024. Vance’s ability to build an authentic relationship with the American people could help usher in similar victories for the foreseeable future. 

Some have criticized Vance for being too casual or online too frequently. Although these traits were uncommon before the Trump era of politics, they are necessary now. Since conservatives are up against the full force of the propaganda press, they’ve got to take their message straight to the people they represent.

For too long, presidential administrations felt like distant symbols of national prestige. Vance maintains all of that American honor while remaining within reach. He is brilliant but uses simple language so as not to alienate normies. He is globally venerated but takes the time to make soldiers laugh at lunch. He is one of the leaders of the free world yet embraces the humility of parenthood. 

Vance has carved a pathway for further generations of conservative success. The public has come to know him as their fellow American — not a cheap imitation but the real deal.

Brooke Brandtjen is a writer and journalist from Wisconsin who focuses primarily on culture, politics, and religion. She is extremely passionate about the arts and history, and is honored to write for a variety of distinguished publications.