Vice President J.D. Vance's attempt to make himself the center of attention at the extraordinary blow-up in the Oval Office with Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is part of an effort to get himself out of the shadows as the Trump administration takes shape.
That is the opinion of the New York Times' Michael Shear who wrote that Vance has been making increasing efforts to insert himself into the conversation as he has been overshadowed by billionaire Trump advisor Elon Musk.
During the televised appearance with the president and the leader of war-torn Ukraine, Vance took the lead as an attack dog on Zelensky by calling him "disrespectful" which opened the door for Trump to berate his presidential counterpart.
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As Shear wrote, that appears to be part of a strategy for Vance to make his presence known.
"It was Mr. Vance’s most high-profile moment since assuming the role of Mr. Trump’s understudy. And it suggested that the 40-year-old, former first-term senator from Ohio is trying not to be relegated to the B-team of what has already become one of the most fast-paced and aggressive administrations in modern history," Shear reported before adding, "It was a striking moment for Mr. Vance, who has not been the one generating most of the banner headlines alongside Mr. Trump. "
Pointing to Musk's prominence in reports on the Trump administration, the report noted that Vance has also been trying to make name for himself on Musk's X platform, with Times report stating, "...there have been hints over the last six weeks that Mr. Vance was eager to showcase his own ability to shock."
With Vance asserting on X recently , "If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” Shear wrote "That statement, too, made headlines."
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