Two-time impeached former president Donald Trump has named US Sen. JD Vance from Ohio, a former “never Trumper,” his running mate. The 39-year-old venture capitalist and author of the acclaimed memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” won a Senate seat in 2022 following support from Trump during a heated Republican primary, according to CBS News.

“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform in a two part-post.

When Trump initially campaigned for office, it would have seemed unlikely that Vance would someday be nominated to run alongside him. During a 2016 interview with Charlie Rose, Vance declared, “I’m a never-Trump guy, I never liked him.” Vance said he was a “terrible candidate” and likened the disgraced businessman to “America’s Hitler.”

The announcement comes just two days after the controversial candidate survived an assassination attempt at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the weekend. The tragic incident left one man dead and two others injured.