The pick of Sen. J.D. Vance as former President Trump’s running mate is raising fears in corporate America that populist, anti-business Trumponomics will truly take hold in a second term in the White House.While Trump’s rhetoric in his first term advocated for working-class Americans, the Goldman Sachs alumni who held key positions in his administration retained tax loopholes for private-equity billionaires and pushed against growing trade tensions with China.Now Trump’s campaign partner is an Ohio Republican who has been critical of Wall Street, and has built a profile as someone seeking to realign the balance of power toward workers and away from large global firms.“CEOs are shocked as this is quite an odd choice to try to balance the ticket with [someone] so hostile to business,” Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, president of Yale University’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute who is in touch with business executives, told Semafor via email.“As one GOP-leaning CEO told me an hour ago ‘This is [the] greatest gift Trump could give to Biden now!’” Sonnenfeld added.Conservatives have hailed the Vance pick, arguing his modest roots will help Republicans make inroads with working-class voters. “I think they see that with J.D. Vance, he can relate to the everyday American,” Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, chair of the Republican Study Committee, told Semafor.
