J.D. Vance exchanged messages with a notorious right-wing conspiracy theorist asking for his thoughts on a range of subjects including Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report.
Messages sent over the encrypted messaging app Signal between Donald Trump’s running mate and Charles “Chuck” Johnson show Vance entertaining conspiracy theories himself as well as expressing doubt that Trump would, in fact, choose him as his VP pick, according to The Washington Post. Johnson—who gave the messages to the newspaper—contacted Vance to congratulate him the day after he was elected to U.S. Senate two years ago.
Johnson, a blogger who has previously made comments which cast doubt on the Holocaust, now self-describes as a government informant aiming to protect the U.S. from foreign influence, according to the Post. The outlet claims Johnson and Vance had a “mostly friendly” correspondence in the 20 months lasting until the weeks before Trump tapped Vance to be his running mate.
