Teamsters Union president Sean O’Brien has thrown some surprising praise towards former President Donald J. Trump’s choice of Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) as his vice-presidential running mate. During an interview with Neil Cavuto, O’Brien emphasized that his union won’t officially endorse any candidate for the White House until next month. However, he had plenty of good things to say about Vance in the meantime.
“J.D. Vance, in the short time we’ve worked together, has been stellar on Teamster issues,” O’Brien remarked. “He’s backed and co-sponsored a bill that tackles outsourcing critical airline maintenance to China. That’s a win for American jobs.”
O’Brien didn’t stop there, adding, “He’s also been a champion for paid sick leave for railroad workers. Remember that mess a couple of years ago when they weren’t getting sick time? Vance was right there, stepping up to the plate. Plus, he’s all about holding employers accountable who try to dodge their obligations under the independent contractor model known as DSP.”
The Teamsters president was particularly pleased about Vance’s military background. “In this day and age, there’s nothing better than having a U.S. Marine as a vice presidential candidate,” O’Brien concluded with a hint of patriotism.
It’s worth noting that the National Pulse has previously reported on O’Brien and the Teamsters Union’s openness to supporting former President Trump. Adding fuel to the fire, O’Brien pointed out that he hasn’t been invited by Joe Biden and the Democrats to address their nominating convention next month, and he didn’t hide his frustration about it.
O’Brien made it clear that the union’s endorsement decision will be made after a final straw poll of its 1.3 million members next month. He hinted that the Teamsters—who haven’t backed a Republican since George H.W. Bush—are seriously considering throwing their support behind Trump and Vance. The Democrats might want to take note; it looks like the Teamsters are keeping their options open this election cycle.
