U.S. Vice President JD Vance is currently vacationing in the UK, with a trip encompassing visits to the Cotswolds, Scotland, and, to commence the holiday, a stay at Chevening House in Kent, the grace-and-favour country residence of Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
The friendship may appear improbable on the surface, given that one originates from north London, while the other hails from Ohio’s rust belt.
One is a left-leaning proponent of multiculturalism, while the other is a conservative who has, albeit in jest, characterized the UK as “the first truly Islamist country” possessing a nuclear weapon.
Nonetheless, despite their apparent divergences, Lammy and Vance appear to share a close bond.
As he settled in for a brief media interaction in the drawing room at Chevening, alongside the foreign secretary, Vance spoke warmly of their connection.
“I must say that I have genuinely become a good friend, and David has reciprocated in kind,” he stated. “Our families derive considerable pleasure from each other’s company, which invariably facilitates such connections.”
Chevening is situated on 3,000 acres of land, featuring a maze and a lake, which served as the initial destination for the two families on Friday morning for a spot of fishing.
Vance humorously remarked that this activity placed “a strain on the special relationship,” as his children successfully caught carp, while the foreign secretary’s efforts proved fruitless.
Lammy appeared unfazed, expressing his “delight” in welcoming the vice president and his family to the 115-room Chevening, which he referred to as “my home.”
Strictly speaking, the 17th-century manor house is owned by the nation, but cabinet ministers, particularly foreign secretaries, are permitted to utilize it for family retreats or meetings with foreign dignitaries.
The vice president seemed suitably impressed with his friend’s weekend getaway.
Vance acknowledged the disparate “political spectrums” from which the two men originate, but noted that Lammy had been “kind enough to make time on a visit to [Washington] DC, allowing us to become better acquainted.”
Since that initial encounter, when Lammy was in opposition and Vance had recently been elected to the U.S. Senate, they have met regularly, including at the new Pope’s inauguration in May.
Last week, Lammy told the Guardian that he, Vance, and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner bonded over drinks at the Villa Taverna, the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Rome.
“I had a profound sense that JD completely related to me and Angela. It was a truly wonderful hour and a half,” he said. “I was likely the most reserved of the three.”
He added that, like Vance, Rayner and he were “not merely working-class politicians, but individuals with challenging childhoods.”
Lammy’s parents separated during his adolescence, with his father relocating to the U.S., after which Lammy never saw him again.
Vance chronicled his own upbringing – encompassing an absent father and a mother struggling with drug addiction – in his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Despite their difficult beginnings, both individuals ultimately attended prestigious U.S. colleges. Lammy studied at Harvard, where he met and befriended Barack Obama. Vance attended Harvard’s rival, Yale – “not quite as good,” Lammy quipped at Chevening.
The two men have also found common ground in their Christian faith. Vance converted to Catholicism as an adult and attended Mass with Lammy during a visit to Washington D.C. earlier this year.
The pair share another similarity, though neither seeks to emphasize it: their previous, less-than-flattering comments about Donald Trump.
JD Vance’s past assessment: “reprehensible,” “an idiot,” “I never liked him.”
And Lammy’s? “A tyrant” and “a woman-hating, neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath.”
Whether driven by political expediency or a genuine change of heart, both have since revised their opinions.
However, to what extent do personal relationships matter when numerous other factors are in play – be it national self-interest in the context of tariffs, or divergent opinions on issues such as the situation in Gaza?
Bronwen Maddox, CEO of the Chatham House international affairs think tank, asserts that they do, “particularly under this administration.”
“Trump has intentionally personalized these matters,” she adds.
Consequently, Lammy – despite his natural alignment with the Democratic Party in the U.S. – was tasked with building bridges with their Republican counterparts, even prior to the general election.
While this may have appeared a daunting task, Chair of Republicans Overseas Greg Swenson observes that his party tends to hold the UK in higher regard than the Democrats.
Vance and Trump have been critical of the UK in the past, but Swenson contends that it “stems from a positive intent.”
“Both desire what is best for the UK… one never wishes to see a friend make a mistake.”
However, should Lammy believe his friendship with Vance is exclusive, he may be disappointed.
The vice president is also scheduled to meet with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has hinted at a potential meeting as well.
Amidst meetings with UK politicians, Vance will also be fitting in a trip to the Cotswolds – a prospect that may infuriate certain Americans, such as TV chat show host Ellen DeGeneres, who fled to the area specifically to escape Trump and his followers.
Reports also indicate that singer-rapper duo Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been searching for a house in the area.
Explaining the appeal of the region to affluent Americans, writer Plum Sykes told the BBC’s PM program that it combines the desire for countryside with the need for glamour.
“Americans cannot navigate Wales with the same ease as the Cotswolds, where they can procure a matcha latte and attend a gyrotonics class.”
“The private jet sector at Cotswolds Airport has experienced exponential growth.”
Vance is reportedly staying in a house very close to Diddly Squat – the farm and pub owned by broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson.
This sets the stage for a potentially awkward encounter between the two. Clarkson has previously criticized Vance, with “a bearded god-botherer” among his more printable insults.
However, a friendship could still blossom, as forming unlikely relationships seems to be as fashionable as the Cotswolds at present.
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