WRITING
JD Vance is My Astrological Time Twin - Part I
A Natal Analysis of an Astrologer and a Vice President with Nearly Identical Charts
As a student of astrology, I look at a lot of charts.
Interesting news? Cast the chart for the moment. A fascinating personality in current culture? Yet another opportunity to examine their astrology. So back in the summer of 2024 when now President Trump announced his VP pick, I immediately looked up his birthdate. Imagine my shock when I saw that Vance shares my birthday! But it gets even weirder.
Thanks to the dedication of astrologer Steve Stuckey, the exact time and location of Vance’s chart was plied from county vital records, and once I entered the data, I about fell out of my chair: I have essentially the same chart as Vice President JD Vance.
You’re probably thinking we’re both August 2nd 1984 birthdays, but oh, it goes deeper than that. Vance and I were born the same year, 13 minutes and about 100 miles apart. Our charts are nearly identical, with only one degree difference between our ascendants, 2 degrees for the MC with Mars falling in the 4th (myself) and the 5th (JD) in the Koch house system which is what I’ll be using in this analysis for the most part.
It’s been over a year since Vance’s birth time was made public, and I’ve done quite a bit of writing, pondering and naval gazing around the realization that my astrological twin is someone whose life trajectory and career is nearly the polar opposite of my own. It has been fascinating and eye opening to say the least. Perhaps this is the magic of astrology, perhaps it is its curse. Regardless, in the past year JD Vance has become my astrological mirror of sorts, a black looking glass whose media presence is both unavoidable and at times, quite unnerving.
Having a nearly identical time twin who happens to be a public figure has given me the unique opportunity to compare natal chart outcomes and timing techniques with an unusual amount of depth. Transiting planets, the nuances of degrees and progressions can be correlated with a decent amount of data between my own experience and that of Vance, thanks to his autobiography which I am begrudgingly reading. I decided to break this analysis into two parts, so in the first I’ll be covering our natal charts, followed by a second piece dedicated to transits, progressions and the possibilities that lay before us, astrologically speaking.
It would be difficult for me to write this free of bias, so I will be upfront with it here: I don’t agree with Vance’s politics (at least not his current ones), and I find myself musing that there may be a deeply Machiavellian undertone within him. Perhaps it’s because I think I might get him, or maybe it’s because ultimately, there are parts of my own psyche and imagination that can dwell in places I’d rather not tread. It’s also hard to write about a chart that is so similar to your own, because it removes a degree of objectivity. Indeed, it’s deeply unnerving to see your own chart with a different owner, but it has given me a chance to meditate on how astrology and psycho-sexual, socio-economic and geographic factors interplay within chart interpretation.
At first, I wasn’t sure how deep to go into a full astrological analysis of Vance’s chart, especially in relation to my own. It feels egotistical and vain to write about oneself, not to mention the taboo nature that some astrologers have towards showing their own charts off to the world. But I am heavy on Leo placements and I love to talk about myself, so fuck it. This will partially be a compare and contrast, and I will try to not overindulge in myself while sharing my personal experiences of natal coincidence between Vance and I.
So without further ado, I present the astrological deep dive into JD Vance and I that you never knew you needed and could probably live without!
The Time Twin Dilemma
Twins are one of the topics cited by skeptics as a means of disproving astrology. How could two people born at the same time to the same parents, essentially raised in the same household have such different outcomes? According to my teacher Rick Levine, twins do their best to differentiate themselves in order to create a sense of personal identity in the face of the competition. From day one, you are essentially battling for resources and attention, and that differentiation is key to being noticed by caregivers. It’s also not uncommon for twins to have a slightly different degree on for their ascendant, and it’s possible for the length between deliveries to be long enough that a change in ascendant sign can occur, though this is increasingly rare thanks to modern medicine.
Those small degree changes between Vance and I create some glaringly obvious differences between us. Interestingly, I’ve found many of the astrologers who have taken a stab at his chart have remarked how spiritually inclined they would assume Vance would be. This checks out for me personally. I’ve been reading tarot for over 25 years, I’m a reiki master and have recently launched my astrology practice. Instead of law school, I went to art school. I don’t do well in desk jobs and I spent my 20s as a part time touring musician.
So one must ask, does Vance really fit into the mold he’s created for himself? Is it possible that he’s a roleplaying conservative with a hidden, long game agenda? Is he actually into aliens? I don’t think I’ll be answering these questions, but I do think Vance and I are both chameleons who can shift with the tides and let go of personas when necessary. Our astrology backs this up.
Our Sun and All of its Problems
Leo Sun ruled Chart
Leo Rising
12th House Sun
Leo Sun □ Saturn in Scorpio
Leo Sun △ Uranus in Sagittarius
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Vance is a bit of a contradiction. One moment he’s a bestselling author, a pro-union senator bashing President Trump. Fast forward a few years and he’s Vice President of the United States under the very president that he once called “America’s Hitler.” I believe we can partially thank the many afflictions of Vance’s Sun for this.
Vance’s chart is ruled by the Sun in Leo, its cozy domicile, yet that coziness is often lost thanks to a partile square with Saturn in Scorpio and the Sun’s presence in the 12th house. Our Sun in the 12th is hidden, imprisoned some would say. To be a 12th house Leo is to be an enigma. One moment, you’re hiding shyly in the corner of the room, wondering if you should go home, and the next you’re dancing on the stage wearing a sequin thong (this is probably also Uranus’s doing and we’ll get to that in a moment).
So it is with the Leo 12th house Sun that both Vance and I were born under, a placement that makes you want to both hide your light and while simultaneously feeling the overwhelming urge to be noticed. In the 12th house the Sun can really lose oneself, and this can be both a positive or a negative thing. I feel that this Sun placement enhances my psychic strengths, and it’s a common placement for people that work in intuitive fields.
Vance and I are both Leo rising, hence our luxurious manes of hair and Vance’s propensity for a smoky eye. It really is a thing. Leo risings love their hair and often have a lot of it. As a Leo rising, one can light up the room and command a certain degree of attention and power. I should mention here that when using whole sign houses, Vance and I have our Sun placed in the 1st house, which is a very different energy. But again, there’s an aspect that snuffs out the power of our Sun regardless of house system: a partile square with Saturn in Scorpio.
Sun square Saturn really throws a wet blanket over what is both a creatively and spiritually driven chart. Saturn in Scorpio squaring Sun in Leo (both at 10 degrees) makes you work for it. It’s an aspect that slows down progress and requires a deep, Scorpionic understanding of self in order to succeed. A Saturn square mires one in self doubt and can sour even the biggest accomplishments. It also makes your birthday suck, a tendency I noticed before I started studying astrology. Every birthday while you are meant to be celebrating, Saturn is activated and rains down upon your parade, smiting the fun with his serious, restrictive nature.
While Sun square Saturn can slow down ambitions, it doesn’t stop them. Quite the opposite: this aspect can give you an impressive amount of grit. Love him or hate him, Vance clearly has some grit and managed to rise into high office at the tender age of 40. But is it at a cost? The 12th house is traditionally the house of enemies and imprisonment, and paired with Saturn, it’s a rather uncomfortable placement. I’ve often allowed myself to remain “trapped” in circumstances that were deeply uncomfortable and potentially detrimental to my happiness, especially before my Saturn return. And being a square, the imprisonment is often self imposed. We choose to stay unhappy, doggedly clutching to whatever cause or person we have pledged loyalty to.
I’ve personally found that I tend to have issues with authority figures, perhaps due in part to another aspect to our Leo Sun: the Uranus in Sagittarius trine. The Sun at 10 degrees Leo trine Uranus at 9 degrees Sagittarius is a blessing for an artist, but I read it as problematic within politics. It makes one changeable and happy to blow up their old self in order to forge a new one. Vance is happy to transform himself into whoever he needs to be in the moment, a trait that I have employed myself on multiple occasions.
Everyone reacts to their environment in their own fashion, and especially as a younger person, I was drawn towards rebellion. Sun trine Uranus will do that to you. I’ve also wondered if this is partially to blame for my tendency towards delusions and fantasy: I want to believe. My interest in astrology, esoteric thought and art feel rooted in a fascination with Uranian energy. I also enjoy strange, difficult people, sometimes to my own detriment.
I wonder if that trine is part of Vance’s draw to Trump. His maverick, IDGF energy is probably thrilling. As I mentioned earlier, Sun trine Uranus is wonderful for creativity and exploding your life. I’ve had 1 million jobs, I’ve moved across the country several times, and I always have a new idea or project to explore. But for politics, this seems like a problem, although one could say that in our current political landscape, this sort of floppiness is less of a concern. Vance and Trump also have undeniable synastry, but I’ve decided not to go down that rabbit hole here.
Masculine vs. Feminine Inner Turmoil
Leo Venus □ Scorpio Mars
Venus on the AC
Mars on the IC
While one might not associate charm with Vance, Venus on the ascendant can make one quite charming. It adds a layer of magnetism to Vance’s Leo rising, although it’s up for debate whether Vance has been leaning enough into his feminine, creative side to utilize this energy. It’s also not a perfect conjunction, and since my ascendant is at 26 Leo as opposed to Vance’s 27 Leo, I’m a hair closer to Venus who resides at 23 degrees.
I’ve come to see Venus on the ascendant as a secret good luck charm, drawing in helpful people and serendipitous circumstances. There was most certainly a degree of luck involved in Vance’s rise to prominence, and I think his Venus on the ascendant is that blessing. It can bring powerful people into your life in a “right place at the right time” sort of way.
Another potent aspect in our chart is Venus in Leo square Mars in Scorpio, which is within 1 degree of orb and takes place very close to our respective AC and IC angles. Mars in Scorpio is like a sniper, smeared with mud and hiding in the swamp, waiting for the perfect shot. Venus in Leo on the other hand is out on the stage, waiting for adoration, demanding worship. Yes, these two energies are at odds, but once you discover the power of this unlikely duo, look out! It can manifest as sexual intensity, and paired with Venus on the ascendant, magnetism is ensured thanks to the contrasting masculine and feminine polarities at work. The sniper becomes a beautiful spy, pretending to be a starlet on stage in order to execute an elaborate honey trap.
Is this cheat on your partner energy? Could be! It depends on how well the energy is integrated and the level of personal reflection the chart owner has undergone in order to find the balance between the grating forces within their personality.
Here we get into the importance of subtle degree changes within this chart comparison, especially regarding the square between Venus and Mars. Vance’s Mars at 22 degrees Scorpio is perfectly conjunct his natal IC, thusly opposing his MC at 22 degrees Taurus, while mine is slightly past my natal IC at 20 degrees Scorpio. This degree change amps up Vance’s Mars, perhaps contributing to the intensity of this uncomfortable placement.
This is a signature that can indicate problems with father figures and home life especially in youth. While my childhood was not as tumultuous as Vance’s, I also come from a broken home with a history of substance abuse. But both of my parents were present in my life and I’m proud of how they were able to overcome their own traumas in order to provide a relatively stable childhood, especially when compared to the one Vance describes in his memoir.
This placement alone indicates a fixed stubbornness, and paired with the Sun/Saturn square, a certain amount of suffering is tolerable and necessary in order to reach a goal. There’s a creative edge available that smolders between the opposition of fixed Fire and Water. If you can balance it and keep the pot boiling, this aspect can really help you cook. Venus Mars squares are tough when you’re younger, and left unbalanced, can wreak havoc in relationships. I’ve found that this square enables me to take on either the masculine or feminine roles in relationships without issue. Yes, I’m happy to be worshipped but I’m equally comfortable as the aggressor.
Now what I’m about to say is perhaps a bit reductive to some, but I believe it bears importance in this chart comparison: JD is a man and I am a woman. We are also both hetero-normative white people from relatively similar backgrounds, married with children and playing strongly into our gender roles. Perhaps this comparison helps illustrate how a particular energy in a chart is developed and fostered by individual choice rather then hard destiny. In this case Venus and Mars are focal points in our charts, and potent ones at that.
While JD definitely tapped into the creative aspects of his Venus Mars square while writing Hillbilly Elegy, he leaned into the Martian side of his chart by joining the military and becoming a political figure. His rhetoric is also very Mars in Scorpio, bending facts and sometimes fabricating them in order to elicit a response.
To bring in just a little TikTok pop astrology, Vance and I both have Mars in Scorpio at 22 degrees, dubbed the “kill or be killed” degree. I’m not sure about Vance, but I’ve never killed anyone, aside from a few unfortunate roadkill incidents. But I did grow up working at gun shows and started shooting guns at 7, so perhaps we aren’t so different, Vance and I. This is also interesting considering Vance’s military training, although during the Iraq war he acted as a journalist and did not see active combat.
Peace at the Expense of Self
The Moon in Libra
Pluto in Libra
Neptune in Sagittarius ⚹ Pluto in Libra at the Anaretic Degree
Jupiter in Capricorn
Now that the most powerful squares in our chart are out of the way, we can bring in the other planetary players. Vance and I have our moon in Libra at 19 degrees with 8 arcminutes difference between us. Our moon in the 2nd house can be an indicator of waxing and waning finances, which explains the relative rags to riches that Vance has experienced, although rags may be a bit of an exaggeration. Our moon isn’t especially aspected (at least not in a major aspect pattern), which I feel adds further distance between how we feel and how we act. Libra moon seeks creative beauty and balance, especially within relationships. I’m just not a fighter within relationships. I enjoy peaceful connections and surroundings.
There may be a certain level of detachment with the moon in an air sign, but Libra so loves to be in relationship, that this may manifest as a penchant for ignoring one’s own needs in service of another’s. A Libra moon can lead to people pleasing, although that pleasing may be surface level only.
There is debate across the various practices and nuances of astrology regarding degrees and co-presence in a sign, and our Libra Moon does share the sign (and the house, depending on your system) with Pluto in Libra. With 10 degrees between them, I would not call this a conjunction personally, but it’s worth mentioning. Vance and I have our Pluto at the 29th degree, or the anaretic degree, which gives the planet a bit of extra spice in our chart.
Pluto in Libra has been on my mind the past few years (thanks to my recent Pluto square transit), and I’ve done some meditating on this planet and the subtle effect it has on my chart generationally speaking. Pluto at the anaretic degree has always placed me at the end of an era so to speak. Vance and I are in that strange generational gap between Gen X and Millenial, having come of age without social media and cellphones. We essentially grew up with the internet, fumbling around GeoCities sites, waiting egregious amounts of time for a grainy image to load on dial up. I learned how to be an analog photographer and immediately found that most of the tools and aspects of the trade were completely gone by the time I graduated from art school.
While I’m not overtly involved in politics, I have found myself often drawn towards a critical understanding of US history and politics, perhaps due to how my chart (and thusly Vance’s) has natal Pluto at 29 Libra square Pluto at 27 degree Capricorn within the US Sibly chart. I interpret this aspect of synastry as an attempt by the Libra person to bring a sense of equilibrium to the Capricorn Pluto, but as always, equilibrium is in the eye of the beholder.
Vance and I have two outer planets interacting at anaretic degrees (Pluto at 29 Libra sextile Neptune at 29 Sagittarius), and I think this makes us especially aware of the generational shifts we have and will continue to witness in our lifetimes. Neptune in Sagittarius at 29 degrees has been activated in our charts over the past few years thanks to our current Neptune square transit, so illusion and disillusion have been our bedfellows.
Neptune in Sagittarius at 29 degrees is the full expression of a potentially overzealous and optimistic Sagittarian energy. This is idealism perhaps cosmic in scope, especially since it finds itself fairly close to the galactic center. But Neptune can lead us away from reality, losing sight of what it takes to actually achieve such lofty goals. I’ve had some rather encompassing flights of fancy during this transit, and I wonder how Vance will feel when his transiting Neptune square Neptune bubble inevitably pops.
Our galactic anaretic Neptune is also in a loose, out of sign conjunction with Jupiter in Capricorn in the 5th house, giving a little extra amplification to our creative channels. Indeed, I’m always brimming with ideas! So many ideas. Too many ideas. And Jupiter in Capricorn just plods along, dragging its feet in retrograde motion. Having Jupiter in it’s fall is not a very glamorous placement, and it values hard, tangible work. It also makes one cautious, but other aspects in my chart tend to overpower my weakened Jupiter. Vance’s Neptune falls in his 4th house, perhaps distancing him slightly from the creative flow of the conjunction. One blessing of Jupiter in the 5th is fertile around children, and both Vance and I have managed to successfully procreate.
Wearing the Wound
Mercury in Virgo
Mercury □ Chiron
Chiron in Gemini
Chiron ☌ the North Node in Gemini
Ah, Mercury in Virgo. If it weren’t for you, I’m pretty sure I’d be a total mess, but instead I’m just a partial one. This is a placement that screams writer (indeed, many well known writers have this placement). Vance is a New York Times bestselling author, after all. Mercury in the 1st house gives individuality, emphasis and ease to our voice, and before Vance became VP of the US, he was known primarily as the guy who wrote Hillbilly Elegy.
Mercury in Virgo is in both domicile and exaltation, humming along like a well oiled machine of analysis. Research is a necessity for Vance and I, a trait that comes in handy when studying both the law and astrology. The amount of knowledge in both fields seems endless and open to interpretation which suits this placement just fine.
I don’t use that many asteroids in my current practice, but if I see an aspected Chiron, I believe it’s worth a mention. The power of Vance’s Mercury comes with a caveat: Chiron in Gemini in the 10th house square Mercury, with Chiron falling within 3 degrees of the north node in Gemini. This is an aspect that puts one’s pain on display for the masses and makes one feel perhaps destined to spill their personal secrets. I think our 12th house Sun does its best to keep this at least somewhat in check.
As with so many things in this practice, the consensus is divided regarding the meaning of the nodal axis between different schools of astrology. As a Libra moon, I prefer the middle path. The north node doesn’t have to represent one’s destiny, but it is a place that the soul feels drawn towards and where energy is directed, whether for good or for ill. In Vance’s case, his memoir tells a decent amount of personal details, although with Uranus conjunct the south node also thrown into the mix, it’s hard to discern the amount of exaggeration present.
With Mercury forming a square with Uranus in Sagittarius while opposing Chiron and the north node in Gemini, we see a t-square aspect pattern that can give voice to not only the internal world, but the external as well. The Chiron Uranus opposition is a generational aspect, but Mercury really makes it sing in Vance’s chart. Is this the reason Vance spits out questionable talking points? Perhaps. It’s a bit of a wild card, and sometimes I think it helps me as a channeler. Other times it just makes me sound like an asshole. Uranus is also in a loose conjunction with the south node, amping up the chaos that can spew out of this t-square. Personally, this aspect activates when I’m reading for clients. When I’m having a clairvoyant moment, I never know what is going to come out because essentially, I’m not the one communicating.
Chiron in Gemini conjunct the North node in the 10th house is the most publicly visible point of Vance and I’s chart, emphasizing our ability to spread information within the public sphere. It also causes a degree of tension thanks to the opposition. The north node with Chiron in the 10th wants to share the wisdom we’ve learned, while the south node in Sagittarius conjunct Uranus makes us want to stay home and philosophize the overthrow of the establishment, unbothered by the masses. Interesting astrology for a politician!
Geography: Cosmic and Cultural Relevance
While those who study it know the importance of geography within an astrological chart, my time twin has gotten me very interested in the literal manifestation of how the culture you’re surrounded in creates who you are. Where you’re born is not a conscious choice, and while I’m not opposed to the thought that on some esoteric plane we choose our parents etc., I’m also interested in the role that chaos plays in the universe. Maybe part of astrology’s role is to shed light onto the dilemma of nature vs. nurture and the inherent chaos at play in our reality.
Vance and I were both born in the midwest in the mid 80s, we are both straight white people, and from a somewhat similar economic bracket. This creates a common denominator between us, as it does with many of the people born the same day, in the same hospital, in the same region of the world. It’s not something one generally thinks about when giving a reading, but it’s opened my eyes to a new level of analysis that should perhaps be considered, especially when dealing with time twin situations. The similarities Vance and I have are deeply intertwined with the cultural privileges and vices of our era.
Me and My Time Twin, in Conclusion
In the end, we don’t really know who Vance is, which can be said of any public figure and celebrity. We only see the public face, a single facet of personality that is curated for the consumption of whatever base Vance is trying to sway. But I also don’t doubt that this is a person with some cunning and a strong desire to ascend by whatever means necessary. Vance has made this quite clear by his actions and the details of his life he’s shared in the process. Studying our charts in conjunction has also revealed to me the power of degree placements, and how slight variations can really change the expression of a natal chart.
I do think that Vance may ultimately be a rebel and potentially a cosplayer, though this is only an opinion, and one extrapolated by my own experience of our shared chart. But I do find myself wondering: if he were to reach his “throne,” who would he become? I really have no idea, but Vance and I will be having some interesting transits coming up in 2026 as we end our Neptune square Neptune period and enter the final leg of our midlife crisis transits, the Uranus opposition.
In part 2, I’ll be going deeper into our current transits and progressions, as well as comparing how these timing techniques have been emphasized differently in our shared chart. If you made it this far, thank you! I hope this has been an interesting read for you, and if you enjoy my style, I offer one on one consultations. Stay tuned for part 2, coming in a few weeks!
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Learning the tarot can be rather intimidating for the beginning reader, but there are several underlying patterns that can lend a hand as you learn its mysteries. One of the best methods involves the study of numerology or the magical meaning behind numbers mentioned in every deck. Here you will find the perfect primer to set you on the right path to understanding the magic of the tarot.
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First coined by Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, the shadow represents the repressed aspects of the personality that are rejected by the ego. According to Jung, “The shadow personifies everything that the subject refuses to acknowledge about himself.” It is a blind spot over behavior, sneaking up unexpectedly and sometimes leading us astray.