Russian TV Criticizes JD Vance

In a surprising turn of events, Kremlin propagandists have ridiculed J.D. Vance, who was previously praised as Donald Trump’s running mate. This shift in attitude unfolded on Russia 1 channel, where guests had initially welcomed Vance’s nomination during the Republican National Convention (RNC), largely due to his stance against ongoing U.S. aid for Ukraine and the belief that his position alongside Trump would benefit Moscow.

However, the tone changed dramatically in a recent segment of Evening with Vladimir Solovyov. The host, a known Vladimir Putin ally, along with his guests, had a starkly different view of the Ohio senator. With a backdrop showing Vance at a Republican rally in Michigan, Solovyov sparked laughter by suggesting that Trump chose Vance as his running mate “to ensure that America prays for Trump to live.” He humorously implied that any unforeseen incident leading to Vance stepping up would be detrimental for everyone involved.

Solovyov continued by labeling Vance a “nice guy” but mocked his seemingly lackluster acknowledgment of his mother’s decade-long sobriety during a speech. Adding to the mockery, Russian state Duma member Leonid Kalashnikov insinuated that Vance’s selection sent a message: “If you kill me, the replacement will be no better.” Kalashnikov also ridiculed Vance’s religious conversion and questioned his loyalty to Trump, implying that Vance’s devotion might be superficial.

Andrey Sidorov from Moscow State University expressed doubts about Vance’s allegiance citing his past reference to his current boss as “Hitler” in 2016. This, according to Sidorov, indicated that Vance could easily shift his loyalty. He also took a critical view of Vance’s American dream narrative, suggesting it was an attempt to revert the U.S. to the conservative values of the 1950s.

Adding to the disdain, Solovyov pointed out a seemingly trivial but symbolic issue with Vance: his beard. He argued that beards were not favored in vice presidents back in the day and claimed that Vance would be the first bearded vice president in a century, a feature he believed undermines public trust.

Political scientist Dmitry Drobnitsky also joined the conversation, stating: “You don’t pick this kind of a VP to get more votes,” feeding into the overall skepticism about Vance’s selection.

Journalist and Russia watcher Julia Davis posted the segment, noting that pundits on Solovyov’s show had serious reservations about Vance and were on the verge of suggesting that Trump should reconsider his choice.

Pro-Ukrainian X user Vlada Knowlton commented on the drastic change in sentiment, noting the shift from the praise Vance had received on Russian state TV soon after the RNC to the current harsh criticism. Another X account, Prune 60, humorously observed how quickly Russian state media’s perception of Vance shifted, recalling how he was referred to as a “principled right-winger” just a week earlier.

Newsweek has reached out to Vance’s team for a comment.

Source: Newsweek