Trump Chose JD Vance as VP. Where Does He Stand On Vaccine Choice?

President Donald Trump finally announced his pick for Vice President on Truth Social. JD Vance, a freshman Senator from Ohio, was named by Trump as his running mate, with the former president touting Vance’s record in DC, as well as his humble upbringing and military accomplishments. The first millennial VP pick touts a resoundingly pro-medical liberty record, even with a relatively short stint in the public arena.

Since before he was even elected, JD Vance has been a fierce advocate for vaccine choice and against tyrannical government vaccine mandates. In 2021, during his campaign, Vance responded to President Biden’s push for mandatory vaccinations on American workers with calls for civil disobedience and complete non-compliance with any vaccine mandates. He went even further in describing the president’s actions as an attempt to “bully and coerce citizens.” 

Before that, Vance even wrote a scathing op-ed for cincinatti.com admonishing left-wing calls for the implementation of “vaccine passports,” and vaccine requirements for participation in everyday life. Taking the necessary step beyond opposing just government instituted mandates, Vance rebuked the “segregationist, discriminatory and authoritarian” nature of vaccine passports in any capacity, public or private sector. He also acknowledged the rationality of vaccine skeptics, noting that skepticism is warranted based on the rampant incongruencies seen in COVID policy.

“Why are they skeptical? Well, isn’t it obvious? Our public health authorities have, in just the past 12 months, been on the wrong side of every major issue. Masks were useless and then necessary. The vaccine was being rushed, they told us when Trump was president, but now tell us it’s safe,” Vance wrote before warning of the potential for vaccine passports to devolve into a Chinese-style social credit system.

Vance also called out the vaccine mandate instituted by Ohio State, which he deemed as an “outrageous invasion of medical privacy,” while writing for The Columbus Dispatch. “Our society needs to respect bodily autonomy and family choice.” Notably, Vance is an alumni of Ohio State, graduating in 2009. 

As a Senator, JD Vance introduced the “Freedom to Breathe Act,” which would have immediately ceased all federally imposed mask mandates, including those in place at schools, on planes, or any form of public transportation. With this, Vance emerged as a fighter for medical freedom even beyond the scope of vaccinations, believing citizens should not be required to abide by any misguided federal impositions on medical liberty. Vance has consistently stressed leaving medical decisions up to individual Americans themselves. 

Overall, President Trump’s VP pick is a cause for optimism amongst medical liberty fighters everywhere. Those who stand against tyrannical government mandates and infringements on medical liberties, including Texans for Vaccine Choice, appear to have a true friend in JD Vance!