Additional Coverage:
Former President Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, is under renewed scrutiny for past remarks, including a proposal for increased taxes on Americans without children. During a 2021 appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast, Vance suggested adjusting tax rates based on parental status, advocating lower rates for parents compared to childless individuals at the same income levels.
In this podcast episode, host Charlie Kirk, CEO of the conservative group Turning Point USA, discussed how to transition conservative concepts to mainstream policy. Vance, not yet a Senate candidate at that time, argued for a fiscal system that incentivizes behaviors deemed positive and penalizes those viewed negatively.
Vance remarked, “Let’s tax the things that are bad and not tax the things that are good. If you are making $100,000 or $400,000 a year and you’ve got three kids, you should pay a lower tax rate than if you’re making the same amount and you don’t have any kids.”
The content from this March 2021 interview has since been removed from Kirk’s YouTube channel and other platforms, with a recent search indicating it was last accessible online in February, prior to his selection as Trump’s running mate.
In defending Vance’s tax remarks, his spokesperson, William Martin, likened the senator’s proposal to the Child Tax Credit, highlighting its support among Democrats. Moreover, Vance faced backlash for comments made on Fox News in 2021, where he criticized Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris, suggesting their lack of biological children influenced their governance.
Addressing the disapproval, Vance’s representative, Taylor Van Kirk, accused the media of distorting his words, shifting the focus to issues at the southern border.
Moreover, Vance argued in a 2021 speech at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute that parents should have extra voting power on behalf of their children, contending that non-parents have less stake in the country’s future.
Senator Vance, now Trump’s running mate and a father of three, consistently frames his controversial opinions around themes of family and parental investment in societal outcomes.