JD Vance Accidentally Reveals the Darkest Truth About Trump of All

What’s more, certain things about Vance’s worldview should cause additional doubts. Vance’s evolution from Never Trumper into a full MAGA disciple appears rooted in the idea that Trump mystically revealed the deep rot of corruption infesting our entire political and social order. As Ian Ward usefully details, Vance harbors a genuine openness to Trumpian lawlessness—such as believing Trump should dramatically purge the government and defy the courts if they stand in the way—because he sees such acts as necessary to reverse the moral and political corruption, exposed by Trump, that has mired the nation as Vance understands it in an existential crisis.

The problem with this vague diagnosis is that, if the system is in such deep trouble, thus requiring a Trumpian figure to set it right, then it’s not clear what sort of nakedly authoritarian actions would not be justified by this mission.

Indeed, Trump picked Vance in part precisely because his previous comments about January 6 indicate his willingness to place Trump above the Constitution when it really counts. The dark truth is that Trump is campaigning on an explicit promise of an authoritarian presidency—an open vow to serially violate his oath of office in untold ways—and he fully expects his consiglieres not to go weak-kneed about it this time around.