Donald Trump has announced an Ohio senator who once compared him to Hitler as his running mate for November’s US election.

JD Vance, a 39-year-old former venture capitalist, will become vice president if Mr Trump wins November’s election.

The former president made the announcement on his social network, Truth Social.

Ohio-born Mr Vance, a New York Times best-selling author, entered into the world of venture capitalism after graduating from Yale Law School.

The US Marines veteran came to prominence in 2016 with his memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis – which detailed his upbringing and socioeconomic problems in Ohio.

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JD Vance. Pic: AP

Mr Vance once described himself as a “never Trumper” and was harshly critical of him after his 2016 election win – describing him as an “idiot” and “America’s Hitler”.

However, he has since become a reliable supporter, even attending court in New York to support the former president at his hush money trial.

Blamed Biden for Trump shooting

He is aligned with Mr Trump’s populist mindset and will likely be palatable to his base – perhaps even as a potential successor one day.

Mr Vance faced criticism over the weekend for blaming US President Joe Biden after Mr Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt on Saturday.

He wrote: “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs.

“That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

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Trump listens on in 2022 as JD Vance speaks at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Trump watches on as JD Vance speaks at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, in 2022. Pic: Reuters

Mr Vance is a fixture on the conservative media circuit and frequently spars with reporters on Capitol Hill, helping establish him as the kind of leader who could carry Mr Trump’s mantle into the future.

Biden: ‘Vance talks a big game’

US Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly called Mr Vance to mark him being chosen as Mr Trump’s running mate.

The two did not connect but Ms Harris left a voicemail, Sky News US partner network NBC News reports.

Mr Biden posted on X after Mr Vance was confirmed as the vice-presidential candidate: “Here’s the deal about J.D. Vance. He talks a big game about working people. But now he and Trump want to raise taxes on middle-class families while pushing more tax cuts for the rich.

“Well, I don’t intend to let them. And if you’re with me, pitch in.”

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How Trump attack unfolded

Announcing Mr Vance as the Republican vice presidential nominee, Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Monday: “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio.”

‘Honourable’ servant

The former president highlighted how Mr Vance “honourably served” in the Marines, before adding that he will now be “strongly focussed on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond”.

Mr Trump added that Mr Vance will do “everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”.

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The former president spoke with Mr Vance about 20 minutes before the Truth Social post to formally offer him the job, a person familiar with the call told the Associated Press.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum had reportedly been informed earlier on Monday that they were not Mr Trump’s pick.

It comes as the former US leader was formally named as his party’s presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Mr Trump is currently set to go up against incumbent Mr Biden in the race for the White House.