Trump’s VP Selection Has a Close Relationship with New Conservative Member of Parliament, Jamil Jivani

July 16, 2024 TruthUSA

Former President Donald Trump’s recently announced running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, has a Canadian connection: he is the former schoolmate and close friend of Tory MP Jamil Jivani.

The former president revealed on July 15 that the Republican junior senator from Ohio would be his right-hand man and the next vice-president of the United States if Mr. Trump secures his second presidential bid this fall.

Mr. Jivani and Mr. Vance, both novice politicians, have been friends since 2010 when they met at Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut. Their friendship blossomed at a wine-and-cheese reception where they both felt out of place.

“We went on to develop a strong friendship, forged through moments of shared discomfort over the course of our three years in the Ivy League,” Mr. Jivani wrote in a 2020 National Post column. “We were by one another’s side for awkward interactions with professors and classmates, life-changing job interviews, and hundreds of hours of studying. We became such good friends that I eventually performed the Bible reading at his wedding.”

Mr. Vance tied the knot with Usha Chilukuri Vance, whom he met at Yale Law, in 2014.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mr. Jivani for comment on Mr. Vance’s nomination but did not receive a response before publication.

Longtime Friends

Now in their late 30s, both men recently ventured into the political sphere in their respective countries.

Mr. Jivani is relatively new to the political arena after securing the federal riding of Durham, Ont., in a March 4 byelection. The seat was formerly held by former Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, who resigned as MP on Aug. 1, 2023.

The 36-year-old lawyer, author, and broadcaster clinched victory with 57.4 percent of the vote. He graduated from Humber College and York University in Toronto before attending law school.

Mr. Vance, 39, has been serving as the junior United States senator from Ohio since Jan. 3, 2023. The former marine and venture capitalist gained prominence with his 2016 memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ which was adapted into a Netflix film starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams in 2020.

His political journey began in 2022 when he won the Senate election in Ohio after receiving an endorsement from Mr. Trump. The endorsement was controversial at the time as Mr. Vance had criticized then-presidential candidate Trump in 2016. Mr. Vance later expressed admiration for the Trump presidency and is now friends with the former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr.

Humble Beginnings

Mr. Jivani and Mr. Vance share more than legal and political backgrounds. They both experienced similar upbringings.

Mr. Jivani, raised by a single mother in Brampton, Ont., described his childhood environment as being among the “children of middle- and working-class immigrants.”

“Growing up in the Toronto area, I never met a person who’d call himself a hillbilly,” he expressed in his 2020 column. “But my friendship with J.D. taught me that his Appalachian family and friends aren’t so different from my own. The challenges faced by many Appalachians—poverty, addiction, fatherlessness, inadequate health care—are challenges seen and felt by my loved ones as well. And the positive qualities possessed by many Appalachians—loyalty, resilience, striving—are qualities we also cherish.”

Canadian Connections

Aside from his enduring friendship with Mr. Jivani, Mr. Vance has other ties to Canada.

Canadian ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman noted Mr. Vance’s familiarity with his northern neighbor.

“I think he’s someone who knows Canada well, has been instrumental for his state’s economic success, and we’ve already begun building a relationship, which is positive,” Ms. Hillman shared during an interview with CTV’s Vassy Kapelos at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 15.

Ms. Hillman mentioned she had interacted with Mr. Vance “a couple of times” due to his state’s close economic ties with Canada.

“Ohio is the third-largest exporting state to Canada, with exports exceeding $20 billion annually,” Ms. Hillman added. “We’re a significant customer for Ohio, so [Mr. Vance has] attended many of our Canada-U.S. events, and we’ve had discussions there.”

Mr. Vance is often characterized as a populist conservative aspiring to shift the Republican Party “toward a more pro-worker direction,” as stated in a December 2023 interview. He has also emphasized leveraging the working-class advancements championed by former President Trump.

Mr. Vance has also taken a firm stance on China, urging the United States to concentrate its efforts in that region.

“My argument is the Chinese focus on real power. They’re not concerned with tough rhetoric on TV or our alleged strength,” he remarked. “They gauge our actual strength, and to confront China, we need to focus our efforts there. Currently, we are spread too thin.”

Janice Hisle, Joseph Lord, and Jackson Richman contributed to this report.

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