The alleged hammer-wielding vandal accused of attacking Vice President JD Vance’s home in Cincinnati is not a downtrodden extremist or anonymous radical—but the son of a wealthy, well-connected Democrat donor family with deep ties to elite institutions.

William DeFoor, 26, was arrested early Monday morning after allegedly smashing four windows at Vance’s Ohio residence and attempting to break into the home around midnight, according to police. The Vance family was not present at the time, having relocated to Washington, D.C., following the inauguration.

In recent weeks, DeFoor appears to have been using the name “Julia DeFoor” on social media. Law enforcement, however, listed the suspect as William DeFoor, male. Authorities have not confirmed whether he identifies as transgender or nonbinary.

Privilege, Politics, and a Pattern of Instability

DeFoor is the son of Dr. William DeFoor, a Harvard-educated pediatric urologist with decades of experience, a professorship at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and residence in a $1.3 million home in Cincinnati’s affluent Hyde Park neighborhood.

Federal campaign finance records show the elder DeFoor has donated thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates, including Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, and has been a consistent supporter of Democrat-aligned PACs. He also publicly backed a federal assault weapons ban following the Uvalde school shooting.

The contrast between elite political rhetoric and the violent outcome couldn’t be clearer.

A Fall From Promise

The younger DeFoor was once portrayed as a model student. After graduating from the prestigious Summit Country Day School in 2018, he was reportedly a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. He later attended the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music but appears to have dropped out in 2020. More recently, he claimed to be enrolled at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

Since then, his trajectory has taken a dark turn.

Court records show DeFoor has a documented history of mental health issues and criminal behavior. In 2024, he was sentenced to two years of mandatory mental health treatment after being charged with vandalizing a local interior design business—avoiding a standard conviction.

In April 2023, DeFoor was charged with trespassing at UC Health psychiatric and emergency services. A judge later ruled him mentally incompetent to stand trial, and the charges were dismissed.

Now Facing Serious Charges

Following the alleged attack on the vice president’s home, DeFoor has been charged with:

• Obstructing official business

• Criminal damaging or endangering

• Criminal trespass

• Vandalism

His first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.

The Bigger Picture

This incident underscores an uncomfortable reality Democrats rarely acknowledge: political radicalism and violence are not confined to the “margins” of society. In this case, the alleged attacker comes from wealth, elite education, and deep Democratic Party connections.

As political violence continues to rise, Americans are left to wonder how often media narratives would look very different if the roles were reversed—and whether elite privilege once again will soften accountability.