JD Vance did everything right.
He embraced Trump’s MAGA movement, abandoned his past criticisms, and transformed himself into a loyal foot soldier of the former president’s agenda. He positioned himself as the future of the Republican Party, the next leader of Trumpism after 2028. And when the time came to prove his allegiance, he did not hesitate—not even when it meant standing by a man who openly called for the normalization of hate against people like his own wife and children.
Yet, when asked whether Vance was his political successor, Trump refused to commit.
“No, but he’s very capable,” Trump said, brushing off the question. “I think you have a lot of very capable people… It’s too early.”
For Vance, this should have been a coronation. Instead, it was a cold reminder that no matter how much he sacrifices, Trump’s loyalty is never unconditional.
The Marko Elez Controversy: A Test of Allegiance
The defining moment of Vance’s early vice presidency wasn’t a policy push or a diplomatic victory—it was his handling of the Marko Elez scandal.
Elez, a 25-year-old former staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency, posted “Normalize Indian Hate” on social media. The backlash was immediate, and Elez was fired. For a moment, it seemed like accountability had won.
Then Elon Musk got involved.
The tech billionaire—who has made a habit of decrying “cancel culture” while selectively deciding who gets to be “uncanceled”—held a poll on X, formerly Twitter, asking whether Elez should be reinstated. He was.
But the reinstatement wasn’t just a Musk decision. JD Vance supported it. He defended Elez, dismissing the outrage as “emotional blackmail” and telling critics—including Indian Americans who directly appealed to him as a father of Indian American children—to “grow up.”
Congressman Ro Khanna asked him the most obvious question:
Are you going to tell him to apologize for saying ‘Normalize Indian Hate’ before this rehire? Just asking for the sake of both of our kids.
Vance ignored it. Instead, he signaled that racist remarks against Indian Americans simply weren’t a big deal. Elez had made a mistake, he argued, but deserved “grace.”
It was the ultimate test of loyalty—choosing his political ambitions over his own family’s dignity. And he passed with flying colors.
The Contrast: Vivek Ramaswamy Got No Second Chances
Elon Musk, a co-leader of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, carries his son X Æ A-Xii Musk following a meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Dec. 5, 2024. (Tom Brenner/The New York Times)
Vance’s willingness to defend Elez is made even more glaring by the stark contrast in how another MAGA-aligned Indian American, Vivek Ramaswamy, was treated.
Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur who became a rising MAGA star, was unceremoniously dumped from his role in the Department of Government Efficiency—not for racism, not for corruption, but for challenging the establishment. No poll. No second chances. Just the door.
The same movement that went out of its way to “forgive” Elez had no mercy for Ramaswamy. The message was clear: if you are white and conservative, you get a second chance. If you are Indian and conservative, your usefulness is conditional.
Vance’s Political Gamble
Vance should have been the heir apparent to Trump. He had positioned himself as the most loyal, most aggressive defender of Trump’s vision. He embraced every battle, from the culture wars to foreign policy, aligning himself completely with the former president.
Yet Trump’s refusal to name him as his successor is telling. It suggests hesitation, doubt. Even after proving his loyalty, even after defending an open racist at great personal cost, Vance still didn’t get the blessing he wanted.
Perhaps Trump sees Vance as expendable. Perhaps he knows that loyalty is cheap in MAGA world, and Vance has already proven that he will do whatever is asked of him, even when it means turning his back on his own family’s identity.
Or perhaps, despite all his efforts, Vance simply isn’t what Trump envisions for the future of the movement. If that is the case, then he has thrown everything away—including his dignity—for nothing.