Full Breakdown
JD Vance’s 2016 Back-Channel Outreach to Hillary Clinton’s Campaign
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Attempted Contact with the Clinton Campaign
In the months before the 2016 election, JD Vance—then a Yale Law School graduate and vocal Trump critic—asked an intermediary to connect him with Jake Sullivan, a senior policy adviser to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Vance secured a meeting with Sullivan and discussed Clinton’s strategy in the “Blue Wall” states—Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
Background & Context: Vance’s 2016 Anti-Trump Position
During the campaign, Vance publicly rejected Trump, voted for independent Evan McMullin, and posted on social media that Trump was “America’s Hitler.” He later deleted a tweet condemning Trump’s Access Hollywood remarks, writing, “Fellow Christians, everyone is watching us when we apologize for this man. Lord help us.” These actions show a political stance that differed sharply from his later role in the MAGA movement.
Official Statements & Responses
Vance’s office declined comment on the Vanity Fair report. Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for the vice president, told *The Independent*: “We 100 percent reject the characterization that he was trying to help Hillary win.” No Clinton-campaign representative has confirmed or denied the meeting.
Criticism & Opposition
Commentators note Vance’s 2016 text comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler as evidence of deep animus toward Trump. His former Yale roommate, Josh McLaurin, highlighted a 2016 message in which Vance wrote, “We are, whether we like it or not, the party of lower-income, lower-education white people,” underscoring his focus on working-class voters. These statements have been used to question the sincerity of his later alignment with Trump.
Timeline
- Early 2016 – Vance contacts an intermediary seeking a link to Jake Sullivan.
- Six weeks before the election – Vance meets with Sullivan to discuss Blue Wall strategy.
- November 2016 – Clinton loses the four Blue Wall states; Trump wins the election.
- 2024 – Vance serves as Vice President under Donald Trump.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He listed Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and what we now call the Blue Wall states.” — Vanity Fair
- “We 100 percent reject the characterization that he was trying to help Hillary win,” — Taylor Van Kirk
- “Fellow Christians, everyone is watching us when we apologize for this man. Lord help us,” — JD Vance
What’s Next
No further public engagements between Vance and the Clinton campaign have been reported, and no investigations or hearings have been announced regarding the 2016 contacts.