Thursday Briefing: J.D. Vance Takes the Stage

Before this year, Senator J.D. Vance never attended a national political convention.Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times

Vance in the spotlight

All eyes are on Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, who is set to deliver a prime time speech at the Republican convention in a few hours. The political newcomer, who joined the Senate just last year, has had few opportunities to connect with American voters beyond his constituents in Ohio. This will be his biggest chance to do so.

Like Trump, Vance has been skeptical of American intervention overseas. Here’s a look at where he stands on key issues:

Ukraine: Vance has been a staunch opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine. “I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other,” he said in a podcast interview in February. He led a battle in the Senate, unsuccessfully, to block a $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine.

Middle East: A steadfast supporter of Israel’s war against Hamas, Vance has pushed for aid to Israel while trying to deny aid to Ukraine. He acknowledged the civilian casualties in Gaza, but he maintained that the blame lies not with Israel but with Hamas.

Climate: A strong supporter of the oil and gas industry,Vance has said that climate change is not a threat. He is skeptical of the science showing that human activity is driving global warming, and he has voiced opposition to wind and solar energy and to electric vehicles.

Trade: Vance supports “broad-based tariffs, especially on goods coming in from China,” because he said that they threaten American jobs and commerce. We have live updates on the Republican convention.

Other developments in the U.S. campaign:

• President Biden faced another major defection within his Democratic Party when Adam Schiff of California became the 20th House Democrat to say publicly that Biden should end his campaign.

• The president said that he would re-evaluate staying in the race if a doctor told him that a medical condition made his dropping out necessary.

• Democratic leaders delayed a plan that would have finalized the president’s nomination before the end of the month.