J. D. Vance’s Hillbilly Hokum

Those of us who are old enough to have watched too many Hanna-Barbera cartoons in our youths can fully comprehend the elementary logic in the phrase, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” Defeat and resignation aren’t hard concepts to wrap your head around. But it’s a rare species of capitulation that wreathes itself in the laurels of victory. Donald Trump might have pioneered that form, but on Wednesday night Senator J. D. Vance perfected it.

To Republicans old enough to recall the monumental political conflicts waged before Trump descended the golden escalator, Vance’s address to convention attendees reads like a declaration of unconditional surrender, albeit one cloaked in pugilism and superficial self-confidence. On foreign policy, for example, Vance conceded the premises argued by Democrats for the better part of this century.

Those of us who are old enough to have watched too many Hanna-Barbera cartoons in our youths can fully comprehend the elementary logic in the phrase, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” Defeat and resignation aren’t hard concepts to wrap your head around. But it’s a rare species of capitulation that wreathes itself in the laurels of victory. Donald Trump might have pioneered that form, but on Wednesday night Senator J. D. Vance perfected it.

To Republicans old enough to recall the monumental political conflicts waged before Trump descended the golden escalator, Vance’s address to convention attendees reads like a declaration of unconditional surrender, albeit one cloaked in pugilism and superficial self-confidence. On foreign policy, for example, Vance conceded the premises argued by Democrats for the better part of this century.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.