Magazine republishes 2016 essay critical of president

" The magazine said the republication marked the essay's tenth anniversary and the country's semiquincentennial. " The original essay appeared during the president's first successful campaign for the White House. At the time the author worked at a venture capital firm and had recently published a memoir about his upbringing.

The essay argued that many Americans viewed the president as a "pain reliever" amid declining trust in government and economic hardship. It stated that the president offered "an easy escape from the pain" and that supporters would eventually realize he could not solve their problems.

The vice president had previously described himself as a "never [president] guy" and said the president was "unfit" for office.

He later won a Senate seat in 2022 with the president's endorsement and joined the 2024 ticket. The vice president is now described as a strong defender of the president and is mentioned as a potential future candidate for the office.