J.D. Vance Explodes Over Compliment: ‘What an A*****e This Guy Is!’

JD Vance was not happy on Tuesday night.

The vice president was the special guest at a black-tie gala in Washington, D.C. American Compass, a conservative think tank, hosted the event. On stage, Vance was interviewed by the group’s founder, Oren Cass. It was supposed to be a friendly and relaxed conversation. But things turned awkward very quickly.

Cass opened the interview by praising Vance. He called him an “intellectual” and said he had strong ideas and a brilliant mind. He also mentioned Vance’s past work at National Review, a well-known conservative magazine.

“Some people don’t like the word intellectual,” Cass said, “but I mean it in a good sense… You were writing for the National Review. You were at the bar late at night, arguing about and helping shape these ideas…”

But Vance was not amused. He jumped in quickly.

“I come here for free, and you insult me,” Vance said. “You call me an intellectual; remind me that I wrote for National Review. What an a—–e this guy is.”

The audience laughed. But the moment was tense.

Many people knew exactly why Vance reacted that way.

In 2016, National Review published a full issue titled “Against Trump.” It was filled with essays from conservative writers, all warning the public not to vote for Donald Trump. The magazine saw Trump as dangerous and dishonest. And during that time, JD Vance agreed.

In fact, Vance once called Trump “America’s Hitler.” He said he was a “Never Trump guy” and admitted that he “never liked him.”

That was JD Vance before Trump won the White House.

Now, things are very different. Trump helped Vance win a Senate seat in 2022. Vance then became Trump’s running mate. And now he is the vice president.

So when Oren Cass mentioned National Review, it brought up something Vance would rather forget. It reminded people of a time when he was not loyal to Trump. That is a hard thing to explain now that he is standing right next to him.

After the outburst, Cass tried to keep things light. He told the audience, “As I said in my introductory remarks earlier, I have no higher compliment than ‘this guy likes to argue.’” He said Vance’s thinking was “a wonderful thing” and that it showed how deeply he believes in ideas.

But it was clear that Vance was uncomfortable. He did not want to be seen as a thinker or a former critic. He wanted to be seen as one of Trump’s soldiers.

It pulled up memories of his past. Back when he spoke his mind. Back when he was not afraid to doubt.

That person no longer seems to exist.

Featured image via Screengrab