In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), the GOP vice-presidential nominee in the 2024 presidential election, revealed that he chose Merle Haggard’s song “America First” as his walkout music at events because it “captures” the theme of the movement he believes in “better than anything I’ve heard.” Vance used the song at major events since his 2022 U.S. Senate campaign, but its prominence soared this summer when he employed it during the Republican National Convention (RNC) after former President Donald Trump chose him as his running mate.
Vance expressed love for the opening lyrics of “America First,” which says: “why don’t we liberate these United States, they’re the ones who need it the most.” He explained that the song is a call to focus on rebuilding America before addressing issues in other parts of the world. Vance criticized the current state of globalism and praised Trump for being right about major disasters, including the Iraq War, NAFTA, and China’s trade deals.
Despite being painted as “weird” or extreme by Democrats, Vance has a bipartisan record working with Democrats on issues like railroad safety, bank regulation, and protecting manufacturing jobs in the United States. He emphasized that putting American citizens first is common sense, not radical, and that most Americans share this belief.