Former President Donald Trump’s decision to choose U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate immediately raised concerns among Indigenous leaders regarding his views on Indian Country.
Vance referred to Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a “fake holiday” and commended Columbus just weeks after questioning the term “two-spirit” in separate social media posts in 2021. He has also opposed name changes requested by tribal leaders for historical sites.
These social media comments were made prior to Vance being sworn in as one of Ohio’s U.S. senators in 2023.
Afterwards, on Oct. 11, Vance wrote, “A half a millennium ago Columbus used technology developed in Europe to sail across a giant ocean and discover a new continent. Today we celebrate that daring and ingenuity. Happy Columbus Day!”
