Vance’s orbit reveals what role he will play in Trump’s second administration

Sources in Vice President-elect JD Vance’s political orbit say his role in Donald Trump’s upcoming administration is simple.

It will be whatever the president-elect needs Vance to do and wherever Trump needs a second set of eyes and focus, they tell Fox News.

Vance, the first-term senator from Ohio who quickly became one of the top advocates for Trump’s “America First” policies in the Senate, was named by the former president as the GOP’s vice presidential nominee on the first day of the Republican National Convention in July. 

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Vice President-elect JD Vance and President-elect Trump appear during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The senator was tireless on the campaign trail the remainder of the summer and autumn, stumping on behalf of the Republican ticket and taking aim at Vice President Kamala Harris; her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz; and President Biden’s administration.

With Trump and Vance’s convincing electoral victory this week, which included a sweep of the key battleground states and a popular vote victory, the transition between the Biden and second Trump administrations is quickly getting underway. And the vice president-elect will have an honorary role in the transition.

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Sources noted some of the issues the vice president-elect personally cares about that he would like to be involved in over the next four years. Among them are immigration, tech policy and, as a Marine who served in the war in Iraq, veterans policies. The sources also shared that Vance’s experience with the train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, makes disaster relief a subject that’s important to him.

Vice President-elect JD Vance with President-elect Trump on election night in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)

While no names are being bandied about for top positions in the incoming vice president’s office, a look at who currently serves the senator may offer clues.

Jacob Reses is Vance’s Senate chief of staff, and James Braid serves as deputy chief of staff in the senator’s office.

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And it’s probable top outside advisers, such as Andy Surabian, a leading political adviser to Donald Trump Jr.; Luke Thompson, who ran the super PAC backing Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign; Jai Chabria, a longtime Ohio-based adviser; and informal adviser Arthur Schwartz will continue to hold similar roles with Vance.