Vice President-elect J.D. Vance’s relationship with Donald Trump has become the subject of speculation after his notable absence from several high-profile events alongside the president-elect. Rumors intensified after Trump attended UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden on November 16, accompanied by an entourage that included Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Donald Trump Jr., as reported by Nicki Swift.
The event, captured in a widely shared video, also featured figures like Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Kid Rock, yet Vance was conspicuously absent. The following day, Trump’s deputy communications chief, Margo Martin, posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) of Trump dining at McDonald’s aboard Trump Force One with the same group, again with no sign of Vance.
Fans and critics took to social media to comment on Vance’s absence. “Did anybody else notice that J.D. Vance is missing?” one user asked. Another quipped, “It’s so funny that he [Trump] just does not hang out with J.D. Vance.” Musk’s growing influence in Trump’s inner circle also caught attention, with one user joking, “It seems Musk has become Trump’s unelected VP.”
Another remarked, “Kind of funny how all the news is about Elon having major influence over Trump’s transition, meanwhile, J.D. Vance has absolutely disappeared into thin air.” Trump’s recent Cabinet nominations, including Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Ramaswamy as co-lead for the Department of Government Efficiency, have only fueled speculation about Musk’s sway in the administration, especially following his $130 million contribution to the Trump-Vance campaign.
The tension between Trump and Vance is not new. In 2016, Vance publicly compared Trump to Adolf Hitler, a remark that strained their relationship before Vance eventually endorsed Trump in later years. Trump’s history of distancing himself from allies, including figures like Bill Barr, James Mattis, Rex Tillerson, and Mike Pence, adds context to Vance’s perceived sidelining.
Despite the speculation, Vance has expressed optimism about his role, writing on X, “To President Donald J. Trump, for giving me such an opportunity to serve our country at this level.” Trump also acknowledged their rocky past in his Mar-a-Lago victory speech, saying, “[Vance] turned out to be a good choice. I took a little heat at the beginning, but I knew the brain was a good one—as good as it gets.” As Trump’s circle evolves, questions remain about Vance’s role and whether their relationship will hold in the long term, as reported by the Express U.S.