JD Vance to Release New Book ‘Communion’ Exploring His Return to Faith

April 1, 2026: Vice President JD Vance is set to release a new book that delves into his religious beliefs and his journey to Catholicism in adulthood.

“Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith” is scheduled for release on June 16, the HarperCollins Publishers imprint Harper informed The Associated Press on Tuesday. HarperCollins had previously published “Hillbilly Elegy,” the bestselling 2016 memoir that brought Vance widespread recognition.

“The story of how I regained my faith, of course, only happened because I had lost it to begin with,” Vance, 41, said in a statement.

“The interesting question that hangs over this book, and over my mind, is why I ever strayed from the path. Why the Christian faith of my youth failed to properly take root,” he wrote.

The announcement on Tuesday is expected to intensify speculation that Vance may run for the presidency in 2028 — a prospect the Republican vice president has said he is not currently concentrating on, suggesting he would make a decision only after the 2026 midterm elections.

Although not always the case, prospective presidential candidates often publish books ahead of launching campaigns, providing them with visibility among wider audiences and an opportunity to shape their message before entering the race. On the Democratic side, several potential 2028 contenders have already released books or plan to do so this year, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Vance authored the 304-page “Communion” himself, according to his publisher, working on it intermittently since 2019, and it will also cover aspects of his political career. While vice presidents from Walter Mondale to Mike Pence have written books, Vance would be the first in recent memory to publish one while serving in office.

In 2022, HarperCollins told the AP that Vance had put aside a proposed religious memoir. Portions of “Communion” are drawn from that earlier work.

Vance has said his beliefs shifted from Christianity to atheism and then to Catholicism. He converted in 2019 and has credited his faith with providing a sense of purpose he did not find through his studies at Yale University or his career in the financial sector.

“Hillbilly Elegy,” his memoir reflecting on his rural upbringing, was widely read upon release and gained further attention after Republican Donald Trump’s unexpected presidential victory in 2016, when Democrats turned to the book to better understand his appeal. Ron Howard later adapted “Hillbilly Elegy” into a 2020 film starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams.

Vance was initially critical of Trump but later became a close ally. He was elected to the Senate as a Republican from Ohio in 2022 and was selected two years later by Trump as his running mate, becoming the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon served under President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s.

The announcement of Vance’s book came after news on Monday from his wife, Usha Vance, that she has launched a podcast titled “Storytime with the Second Lady” aimed at encouraging children to read.

Courtesy: AP News