Fathoming the byzantine thinking processes of pro-Trump religious zealots may or may not be aided by reading VP J.D.Vance’s latest book Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith. Described by a Times review as “part rant, part sermon, a contradictory, self-righteous, angry, humourless and slightly sinister mess of a book.”
With divorced parents and a drug addict mother, he was brought up in part by his grandparents, with his grandmother holding to fervent beliefs, including one that Jesus would save her even if she drove the wrong way up a motorway. Aged 11 he had read the Bible from cover to cover and believed along with other family members that the world would come to an end in 2007 – “at the latest”. The first Harry Potter book was deemed satanic and avoided.
After an atheistic few years at Ohio State University and Yale Law School, he stumbled into a ‘deeper truth’. A passage from St Paul to the Philippians proved a lightbulb moment: “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” At this point, he was anti-Trump, describing him as “a cynical asshole”; and was baptised a Catholic.
A key turning point came during covid in 2020 which sent him into survivalist mode and he flipped from grace to rage and fury. By 2024 he was Trump’s running mate which prompts him “ to equate Trump’s Republicanism with all that is honest and just and pure and lovely.” In his list of biblical commandments he avoids any mention of adultery, bearing false witness or coveting thy neighbour’s goods.
Born 2 August 1984 8.11 am Middletown, Ohio, he has a 12th house Leo Sun, surprisingly common in politicians despite its liking to stay hidden. His Sun is in a downbeat square to a 3rd house (= thinking and speaking) Saturn in obsessive Scorpio. Heavyweight Pluto is also in his 3rd so he will be opinionated and uncompromising in his views. His 4th house is understandably troubled given his upbringing with an angry, bitter Mars in Scorpio on his IC plus restless Uranus which will make him prone to constant domestic upheavals. His Uranus opposes a 10th house North Node in Gemini square Mercury in Virgo in his 1st – hinting at an ambitious career being an escape from an unsettled childhood. A focal point Mercury to a Mutable T Square will make him highly-strung, scattered, disorganised changeable in his views. But if he gets a grip he could become a good communicator.
He also has Neptune conjunct Jupiter in his performing 5th house which also rules children. He will see himself as an idealistic and a visionary but will lack practical realism. Neptune Jupiter can be brought low by scandals.
In 2020 when he had his conversation back to faith tr Neptune was moving into his 8th which could bring about a yearning for a connection to another world. Tr Uranus was opposition his Saturn and square his Sun for what was clearly a eureka moment. His Solar Arc Pluto was conjunct his South Node which does not sound like an enlightened moment, quite the reverse.
He is an angry, bitter man with troubling midpoints. A ruthless Sun square Mars/Pluto. Mars square Saturn/North Node, making anger his release/escape from depression. Saturn conjunct Mars/Pluto uses force to overcome obstacles. Uranus conjunct his Mars/Neptune has a tendency to attract crisis.
He has clearly been marked by Trump who is never to blame for any failure, as the fall guy for the Iran deal. His astrocartography there is not great, mainly hidden with a good deal of slipping and sliding in 2027.
This year Neptune will square his Jupiter for high hopes brought low. His Solar Arc Neptune will be opposing his Sun and square his Saturn through 2027 which will be highly uncertain and undermining. His fortunes may revive slightly after that with a couple of Jupiterian boosts in early 2028. But 2029/30 look poleaxing and difficult with tr Pluto opposition his Sun and square his Saturn.
The next election is a thought for another day.
Not much noticeable religiosity shining through his chart.
ADD ON; His wife Usha Vance, a highly educated lawyer, described as a ‘leader’ in her college days, was born 6 June 1986 4.18pm San Diego, California, into an upper-middle class family of academic scholars and educators with Indian Hindu immigrant parents.
She is an ambitious Sun Venus in Capricorn in her sociable 7th house; with a fearsomely determined stellium in Scorpio of Pluto, Mars, Moon in her 5th house of self-expression and children, hinting at a strong need to be taken as a person of substance.
She is more than a match for Vance with her Pluto and Mars conjunct his 3rd house Saturn and square his Sun; and her Moon conjunct his 4th house Mars. It will be a volatile relationship or more likely one which simmers on resentment and grievances. Her Sun Venus does fall in his 5th which will be good for children and social fun.
Their relationship chart is an eye-opener and toe-curling with a composite controlling Sun, Pluto, Venus, Moon in the domestic 4th; with an impatient and aggravating Mars Saturn conjunction also in the 4th. I cannot imagine what their home life must be like – and they will both be as determined as the other.
Does one consider the following points in Vance’s Chart a Boomerang aspect? The orb are not tight.
Chiron, North Node in Gemini, quincunx POF & Saturn in Scorpio which sextile Jupiter in Capricorn. As Part of Fortune is a calculated point, most specific field of astrology won’t consider it and that means saturn Quincunx will be a wide orb. And the Chiron opposite South node to make the boomerang aspect a yod with an opposite in between.
The point I was trying to make given the subject of his book was how in the name of all that is holy does he manage to square that quotation from St Paul with what resides in the White House – and indeed his own outpourings. It is the double think/galloping hypocrisy of the religiously sanctimonious which I cannot cope with.
He has Uranus conjunct Antares, a placing he shares with Prince Harry (a double thinker of a different order). Astrology King suggests = Abnormal and extreme ideas, hypocritical, lies and exaggerates amongst other things.
It was well known in psychotherapy though not loudly voiced that helping patients with ‘spiritual’ beliefs was tricky since they often used their devotional piety, peace and love persona, as a protective shield against a good deal of murk below the surface to which they were extremely resistant to exploring
It’s difficult is’nt it, at least I find it is. The trouble is, the world is full of bad behaviour as well as good, it goes on all around us. Religious people are no better than non-religious people that’s for sure. When you’re are up in the higher echelons of power as J.D. Vance and co. are, you are confronted with difficult complex choices having to be made all the time, none of which are ‘good’. A decent politician can only choose the option that is least bad, or seems least bad. That is the reality I think. Who’d be a politician ?!
I think what is worrying in America, and elsewhere, is the new tendency to use Christianity as a campaign tool. Perhaps though that is partly in reaction to being at war with a theocracy (Iran)? I don’t know.
@Claire, I find how the battle between America and Iran has always had a religious bent.
Republicans who are mostly Evangelicals always mention that Iran has chanted ‘death to America’ and has called America the Great Satan for nearly five decades and we always point out that Iran is a theocracy who kills protesters.
OTOH this current administration (along with the six conservative SCOTUS justices) has been promoting a thinly veiled version of white Christian Nationalism which includes proposals to decrease the number of women in the workplace by denigrating certain female-heavy career fields like nursing to no be longer considered ‘professional’ as a way to get women back in the home and in the sole role of incubator/nurturer.
Add to the fact that justices like Thomas want to use the Comstock Act to prevent the abortion pill to be sent through the USPS.
Ironically and without any self-awareness Republicans love to use the talking point that the Iranian government has allegedly killed tens of thousands of their own citizens while ignoring the protests in Minneapolis and the deaths of two Americans there during the immigration raids.
Hegseth’s pastor, Doug Wilson wants to stop women from voting. Even Iran allows women the vote.
GTK, if Trump wins a 3rd term we can all move to Iran.
An alternative viewpoint.
J.D. Vance is a white, working class, straight man who has risen all the way to the vice president position of the USA on his own merits. He has remained loyal to his background, family and friends, despite the awfulness of much of it. I found reading his book, ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ (written before his political career) difficult and distressing, but his experience is similar to millions of Americans, and they count too.
He does not have the urbane charm of Barak Obama, he is more down-to-earth and straightforward, which is positive I think (MC in Taurus).
From what I have understood his Catholic faith (and the armed services) ‘saved’ him (Neptune conjunct Jupiter) as it has saved others throughout history.
Humanists (the modern kind, not renaissance) and left-wing liberals/Democrats are never going to like this set of attributes of his, J.D. Vance ticks none of their progressive boxes.
Astrologically his Sun, Mercury and Mars are all in their own signs in his natal chart, his Mercury is exalted, for leadership that’s not bad.
Perhaps the most negative element in his chart is all his planets being below the horizon, that’s quite limiting in some ways. It would be interesting to see how his chart compares to a collection of others of successful US presidents, I have’nt done that.
The Vance indeed checks all those boxes you mentioned, and that’s why he is where he is. He is very smart. I remember his debate with the democratic VP candidate a few years ago. However, I am not convinced that his actions are sincere. His relationship with Thiel and other power-hungry tech bros is a big concern about his intentions. In his map, 7 and 11, the relationship houses are empty, so I think he will have problems connecting with people, as Trump does. I don’t know what Algol on the Midheaven means, but I doubt it is anything positive. In the end, it all depends on who the Dems would nominate, and yes, there is a likelihood of ending with a Vance presidency.
Possibly, but houses are never really empty, they are still ruled by whichever sign is over them.
I use Whole-signs house division which puts Aquarius/Saturn over his 7th, this would fit with “tech bros” as business associates, as well as Donald Trump as a senior business partner.
It puts Gemini/Mercury over his 11th, which is not bad for connecting with people at all.
+ Re his 7th, just remembered JDV’s wife Usha is a Sun sign Capricorn which is of course ruled by Saturn.
Edit: JDV’s Mercury is not exalted, just in its own house, it would need to be at 15 degrees to be exalted, my apologies.
To me, he seems to be a person who is still trying to find himself, rather than an outright hypocrite. That he allows himself to be the fall guy for Trump’s mistakes would be tolerable to someone who had such a difficult childhood.
Having read Hillbilly Elegy, it shocked me that he went into politics. I think he’s probably more surprised than anyone to find himself in this position. In the meantime, he is a good communicator and debater. Someone who was a friend in law school remarked that most political ambition he had would have been going on a school board. I wonder if Usha encouraged him to go into politics. Certainly Peter Thiel did.
One article I read explained that Trump, a marketing genius, picked him to be VP because of his simple, one syllable last name that went well with Trump and is similar to Pence.
In the US, it’s very rare that a VP becomes president right after they serve — always too much baggage. Nixon and Biden became president, but not immediately after serving as VP.
Almost from day 1 of Trump 2 I have hoped that DJT will, despite his awfulness, remain in his seat behind the Resolute Desk, in whatever shape he manages to keep himself going (which does not mean a vote of confidence). The reason being that if he is impeached, replaced by 25th amendment, or dies in office, he will be replaced by JD. Even without that, JD’s influence will increase as DJT is so obviously incompetent for the office he holds. But as long as DJT is there, the fanatics are somewhat held in check by DJT’s sheer unpredictability.
However, there is a real possibility that one way or another, the US will get a President Vance. In fact, he may in part be tt already, even if JD is never elected to office as such. DJT claimed he is a “very stable genius”, but JD is an intelligent, albeit twisted person and his reign as Pres. could be far more damaging than anything DJT can do. That is because he is determined, energetic, devious and smart (Sun square Mars and Pluto square Neptune). He also has Venus on the Ascendant (motivated by a desire for admiration from others, despite whatever he may claim to the contrary) square Mars (power) in Scorpio – and he does his homework (Scorpio) and is fine with working under the radar (12th house Sun). But most of all, his Chariklo, the wife of Chiron, at critical degree 29 Taurus, ties into that square between Pluto and Neptune. Chariklo feels she is called by ‘spirit’ and that is appealing to many Americans who are religious. How else could you find that a US Vice President has the balls to school the Pope, at the same time as by faith he is supposed to be ‘sheparded’ by that same Pope? This is a guy who has a BIG ego and a messianic interest in power. Not a good picture for a future president, imo. I worry about the next presidency more than this one (though Lord knows, if the Dems win in 2028, they will have their own bucket of problems to sort out in their messy way).
P.S., with the mutable T-square and being a ‘good communicator, as you say, there will be lots of people behind him to provide the ‘practical realism’. All those people in cages are already a testament to that. Like it or not, fanatics, after all, do get things done. This is one post where I surely wish that my reading of the chart is 100% wrong!
For ‘noticeable religiosity shining through’ perhaps his Sagittarius 5th House, containing his retrograde Capricorn Jupiter, hints at the possibility.
Just reading Barbara Hand Clow’s Chiron book and she says that of her 16 example charts with Chiron in the 10th – 8 women were nuns, 1 was an episcopal priest, 2 were New Age priestess and two of the men were priests. I don’t know if that gives some reasoning for JD Vance’s religiosity. Plus I’d reckon his Chiron is within orb for a yod with his Leo Sun and Jupiter in Capricorn
I have a 10th-house Chiron on the midheaven, so I’ve read a lot about its meaning. In my case, I am an educator, and I read that preachers, teachers, etc. have a prominent Chiron in the 10th. So the book you are reading might be on something.
I’ve noticed some people who eagerly adopt a faith, not for humility in the face of higher powers, but rather to gain a sense of control – over their own impulses, or over others.
The well-known French basketball player Victor Wembanyama (a Capricorn) spoke about training with Shaolin monks to improve his skills. During the recent NBA playoffs, he physically bullied and attempted to injure opponents, and could not even demonstrate the universal grace of sportsmanship of shaking hands after the loss. I doubt this was in line with Chinese training. (The best he could say was that he had a lot to learn, but it wasn’t about self-awareness nor showing respect).
A French acquaintance of mine became enamored with Buddhism, and joined the administration of an Irish Buddhist monastery. While he could talk about that faith, I never once sensed the slightest trace of inner peace easily projected by the monks I have encountered in my Asian travels. Instead he was surprisingly quick to a barely restrained anger. (I seem to recall that he is an Aries).
All I can say is monastery training for martial arts in China had become a cottage industry. One can just Google for price and length.
Where in the past, one was told from young that one needs affinity with the monk to train and grow.
I feel bad for his wife.
Yes, Usha seems like the typical long-suffering wife of a politician.
He continues to have her be the butt of many of his awful jokes.
O don’t worry folks. She is sun Capricorn moon scorpio. She will turn round and kick his butt one day.(Her shoes are definitely Capricorn).
He is part of the Sagittarius Neptune generation. If the Libra Neptunes (associated with the Baby Boomers) have the dream of love and the Scorpio Neptunes have the dream of the taboo then the Sagittarius Neptunes have the dream of God. For Sagittarius Neptunes this form of God is the holy ghost.
This book title is also about his Sagittarius south node. “Communion. Finding my way back to faith.” Starting with God in the family home going out into the world (nn in the 10h) and seeking greatness and a new god, his fortune (Ceres in the 9h). This resulted in what he calls rotten fruits. He has Chiron conjunct the nn. Then he finds an old faith again. The karmic story of a Leo Sun in the 12h, the lost child that is found.
This book is published as the transit Aries Neptune trines that south node. Since Neptune transited into Aries the entire generation is redreaming their religion.
Sometimes it is easier to understand things through stories. Star Wars premiered under a Grand Fire Trine that represented the trinity (Sagittarius Neptune 5h The Force/Holy Ghost, Aries Mars cj Aries Venus 9h Luke & Leia/Jesus, and Leo Saturn 12h Darth Vader/The Father) which last came close to forming in 1654 just as Cromwell was named Lord Protector. The missing father/King leads to the need to find the father/Lord Protector. Sagittarius the effect of a fatherless son seeking their father. Jupiter sought Saturn.
The transit Aries Neptune is forming a personal Grand Fire Trine in Vance’s chart. He is interpreting the Trinity in a different way than the 1977 Grand Fire Trine. His Grand Fire Trine is natal Sagittarius Neptune, transit Aries Neptune, and natal Leo Sun. He not only wrote a book about his new Catholic faith (Aries 9h) but he created a child (Aries).
I am a Sagittarius Neptune, too. My birthdate in autumn 1976 might actually hold some of the most “by the book” interpretations of the effect due to Leo Saturn and Libra Pluto forming a sextile series to Sagittarius Neptune. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Pope would be someone with this sextile series. But I would not let JD to join the club. His last degree Libra Pluto sextile last degree Sagittarius Neptune is a bit scary, to be honest, combined to his 12th house. This guy is such a poser. Nothing is real with him.
Good points, Lumiere. I thought about how his 4th House Sagittarius South Node, ruled by an ambitious 5th House Capricorn Jupiter, reflects a natural affinity with his path so far – military service, degrees in political science/philosophy, law, and his venture into politics. His nodal rulers Mercury-Jupiter are in a trine, perhaps easing his ability to connect with and communicate his experience and understanding with others (Gemini-Sagittarius Nodes).