Donald Trump's estranged niece has criticized the former president's choice of running mate, saying JD Vance has "no backbone."
Psychologist and writer Mary Trump is the daughter of Donald's older brother, Fred Trump Jr. Unlike other members of the Trump family, who have long rallied around and worked for the former president, Mary has taken pains to criticize her uncle and his political decisions.
On her blog, The Good in U.S., Mary Trump has offered up her opinions on Vance, branding him "a chameleon" who lacks principles. In her attack, she focused on Vance's change of opinion on Donald Trump, his attacks on Kamala Harris and the many names he has had.
Newsweek contacted Mary Trump via Facebook for comment.
Central to Mary Trump's arguments was Vance's history of being openly critical of Donald Trump.
"Here are some facts: Vance has no backbone, no moral compass, and no guiding principles except whatever will help him satisfy his grasping ambitions," she wrote. "If he needs to sit on stage and take it while my uncle accuses him of being the spineless a** kisser he is, that is not a problem for him. If he needs to attack a biracial woman despite having biracial children of his own, JD Vance is your guy. And if Donald needs someone without conscience, someone who so easily changes his allegiances, he could not find a more fit person to be his running mate than JD."
Mary's comments refer to statements made by Donald Trump at a senate nominee rally for Vance back in 2022, when the former president claimed that Vance was cozying up to him as he "wants my support so bad."
Historically, Vance was an open critic of Trump, considering him "cultural heroin" and remarking in private conversations that the former president was "America's Hitler." He later became one of Trump's most ardent supporters.
Mary Trump went on to Vance's multiple names as reason he had no backbone, writing: "Seriously, JD Vance? Or should I say James Donald Hamel? Or is it James David Bowman? Or whatever your name is."
Vance was born James Donald Bowman but was renamed James Donald Hamel when adopted by his stepfather Robert Hamel when he was six years old. He then lived more than 20 years as JD Hamel, but admitted in his book, Hillbilly Elegy, that the name bothered him, especially after his mother and Hamel divorced. In tribute to his grandmother, JD then changed his name to Vance, which he used to register for the bar, marry and on his 2016 memoir.
Mary Trump, who wrote the bestselling book Too Much and Never Enough about her uncle, also used her blog to take aim at other Republican supporters of Trump.
"It's transparent and it's pathetic, but this is what we expect from Republican senators, from Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio to Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell."
"These men are cowards who grovel at the feet of an authoritarian, not because they believe in him, but because they desire power or protection. Vance is just the latest to join their ranks."
Newsweek has reached out to Vance by email for comment.
Having been estranged from her uncle for years, Mary previously described the prospect of reaching out to him as "spine chilling" and "useless."
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