Campbell: The selection of Vances from Trump, disturbing Ukraine

Former US President Donald Trump, who will run again in the November presidential election, chose Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, vice president candidate.

W. Joseph Campbell, professor of communications at American University, tells Radio Free Europe that Vance has been highly critical of US aid to Ukraine and that his choice sends a signal to policies that the Trump can pursue against Ukraine if it wins.

Campbell says that the choice of Vances even though it circulated as a name was surprising, for he was a critic of Trump.

Trump was officially confirmed Monday as the Republican Party's candidate in the November 5th election. His counterCandid will be the current president of the US, Joe Biden.

Radio Free Europe: Professor Campbell, Donald Trump chose J.D. Wancen candidate for vice president ) a 39-year-old senator who is in office for just a little over two years. Why J.D. Vance?

W. Joseph Campbell: According to me, Trump thinks this is a generation choice, choosing someone so young as himself since he's at the end of the 70s program. THE MAGA (make America still large) that Trump has supported since 2015 will continue to live after his departure from the political scene.

Vance is an inexorable choice, since he's a new senator. He comes from Ohio State, which has become much reder [v.j. in the last election cycles.

I'm not sure he's a big help to Trump in Ohio, or if there's a common effect on other countries like Pennsylvania or Michigan, which borders Ohio. They are very important states in terms of electoral college, but I don't think independent and indecisive voters will view this selection as very inspiring.

For me, the best choice would be Glenn Youngkin, governor of Virginia, who has been in charge for years now. He would also help Trump in that country.

Youngkin isn't 39 years old, but he's not even old. So I think it would be a better choice in general.

Radio Free Europe: Do you think, then, that this is a sign that Trump believes he will win and, for this reason, he has been able to choose someone who will not necessarily increase the number of votes for him?

W. Joseph Campbell: Vances's name has long circulated as one of the potential candidates for vice president, so it is not a new name and it is not a big surprise.

Since his name has been flowing for some time, I think Trump sees Vancen as some kind of safe choice for the Republican base.

But, I also think that Vance is someone who is a bit unpredictable at least in his recent past. He was not a supporter of Trump when Trump entered the race in 2016, for example. I even think he has declared that he will never be his supporter.

This past, I think, makes this choice a little surprising, because Donald Trump is someone who holds a grudge. He's known to hold a grudge for years.

Radio Free Europe: How would you describe Vance as a politician? What are his pluss? What are his minuss? Is his youth plus?

W. Joseph Campbell: I think his age is, of course, a plus. He comes from an important republican state, and this is a plus plus not that Trump has many concerns to keep Ohio in November, but that, however, helps to cement his base.

Looks like he talks pretty good, he's articulating. He's the author of a book sold out for his life. I think it'll do very well in the debate let's say against Kamala Harris [the current vice president].

But I don't know. Nominations for vice presidents usually do not change votes in one way or another. They have no major effect on the vote.

Sarah Paulin, who was John McCain's choice in 2008, could be an exception, because it was so negatively expected. But, generally, vice presidents candidates are not a real help to the presidential ticket.

Radio Free Europe: If you're a European leader, Emmanuel Macron or Voldymyr Zelensky, and you've just seen this choice... what do you think?

W. Joseph Campbell: I think Zelensky will be very concerned about this election. Vance does not have a high estimate of continuing aid to Ukraine. And that should be a little disturbing, because it might signal what Trump thinks really about helping Ukraine if he wins the presidency.

But, of course, Americans in general are more nervous about the war in Ukraine. It lasts for more than two years and is reaching a point where people are asking: What are we spending all this money on, and what are we getting in return? So Vance is kind of in this camp, and it's going to be a real concern I'm sure about some European leaders, especially Zelensky.

I don't think Vance has major foreign policy credentials, but, in fact, this is not a request for a vice presidential candidate.

We have to go back to history to find a vice presidential candidate who was really involved in foreign policy. George H.W. Bush for Ronald Reagan in the '80s has been an example, perhaps.

Radio Free Europe: As for the people he selected for his administration, does this give some sort of allusion that Trump will not go with people from the estabilism, that he feels safer this time?

W. Joseph Campbell: I think this may be the case. It's also, it's clear that a lot of people who worked for Donald Trump a lot of people from the establiment like you said have not had a good time. John Bolton is an example. He has had very good credentials in foreign policy, but has not had good experience with Trump.

Radio Free Europe: So think we'll see so many so - called ones MAGA people in administration? And is this something that should disturb partners, NATO allies?

W. Joseph Campbell: It can happen. Of course, if Trump wins the election. This election cycle, in 2024, has been full of dramas and unpredictable. And it's hard to say whether we will have a new round of surprise, as we have in the last two or three weeks.

I think we should be alert to any kind of surprise at the end of the summer in October, early November. There will surely be something that can again affect the disk in these choices.

But to answer your question, I think Trump will likely bring Trump into his administration, if he wins, many supporters who share his philosophies, his views and his political positions.

Of course, it is difficult to say who those potential candidates are. But I don't think we're gonna see people like Bill Barr in administration again. He was Attorney General in the last part of Trump's years. I doubt he'd come back for another round.