As of the latest reports, J.D. Vance has **not** been fired from his role as Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate or as a U.S. Senator from Ohio. While his campaign performance has faced sharp criticism—including from within Trump’s circle over gaffes, lackluster fundraising, and weak polling—Trump’s team has publicly downplayed tensions, framing Vance’s struggles as growing pains. Speculation about his replacement (e.g., Marco Rubio or Tim Scott) persists, but no official dismissal has occurred. Vance’s approval ratings hover around **38%**, reflecting broader Republican unease and his polarizing rhetoric on issues like Ukraine and abortion.
The political spotlight remains fixed on Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), Donald Trump’s embattled vice-presidential pick, as a wave of internal and external critiques threatens to undermine his standing just months before the election. Multiple reports reveal deep frustration within Trump’s campaign over Vance’s series of missteps, including his controversial remarks on Ukraine aid (‘I don’t really care what happens there’), his awkward debate performance against Vice President Kamala Harris, and his failure to energize the GOP’s fundraising base. Polls show Vance dragging down the ticket in key swing states, with some surveys placing his net favorability at a dismal **-12%** among independents.Trump allies have openly questioned Vance’s viability, with unnamed sources telling *Axios* that the former president has ‘buyer’s remorse’ but fears a mid-campaign shakeup would signal chaos. Speculation about replacements has swirled, with Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tim Scott (R-SC) floated as potential substitutes, though Trump’s team insists Vance is ‘here to stay.’ The *New York Times* notes that Vance’s struggles mirror broader GOP anxieties about his populist-nationalist brand, which clashes with the party’s traditional donor class and suburban voters.Vance’s defenders argue his blunt style resonates with the MAGA base, pointing to his viral moments attacking ‘coastal elites’ and his hardline stance on immigration. Yet even conservative outlets like *The Wall Street Journal* editorial board have lambasted his ‘amateurish’ approach, warning it risks alienating moderates. Complicating matters, Vance’s Senate seat—once considered safe—now faces a surprisingly competitive challenge from Democratic nominee Nina Turner, with internal GOP polling showing his lead shrinking to **5 points** in Ohio.Amid the turmoil, Vance’s approval rating has plummeted to roughly **38%**, per aggregated data from *FiveThirtyEight* and *RealClearPolitics*, a stark drop from his **49%** rating earlier this year. The decline tracks with his high-profile blunders, including his dismissal of childcare costs as a ‘first-world problem’ and his refusal to clarify whether he’d certify a Trump loss in 2024. While Trump has publicly stood by Vance, calling him ‘a fighter,’ private grumbling persists. The *Washington Post* reports that RNC chair Michael Whatley has urged Vance to ‘stick to the script,’ but the senator’s defiant response—‘I’m not a trained monkey’—only fueled concerns about his discipline.With early voting looming, the clock is ticking for Vance to steady the ship. Yet as one GOP strategist told *Politico*, ‘The problem isn’t just JD—it’s that Trump’s entire campaign is a dumpster fire, and JD’s the guy holding the match.’ Whether Vance survives the storm may hinge less on his own performance than on Trump’s willingness to gamble on a last-minute reset—a move that could either salvage the ticket or deepen the GOP’s electoral woes.