When Vance began attacking the GOP's "neocon" wing, Trump Jr. began defending him in public and advocating for him behind the scenes, including with his father. Within a few weeks, Trump Sr. had endorsed Vance, ensuring his victory in the May 2022 primary. Trump Jr. and Vance have become close personal friends, both men have said.
He has also made his mark in the Senate with his work on the Ukraine war, where he has been the ringleader of opposition to further U.S. funding, pitting him against many traditional Republicans who sided with Democrats on the issue of U.S. support for Ukraine. In closed-door Republican caucus meetings, the freshman senator held his own in debates with pro-Ukraine counterparts such as Sen. Mitt Romney (R., Utah). Vance's dogged and relentless agitation against the funding came as an unpleasant surprise to GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), who strongly supported it and appeared to view Vance's opposition as ungrateful.
Vance shares Trump's flare for provocation, something that was evident in his first campaign ad that advisers said Vance wrote himself. "Are you a racist? Do you hate Mexicans?" Vance asked in the ad. "The media calls us racists for wanting to build Trump's wall." The text on-screen identified him as an "America First Conservative."
