Former Alaska Governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been a loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump from the start of his political career. Palin endorsed Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and he endorsed her in 2022 when she ran for a Congressional seat, which she lost to Democrat Mary Peltola.
— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) July 11, 2022
When Trump announced this week in Wisconsin that he has chosen former Trump critic and current U.S. Senator J.D. Vance — from the critical swing state of Ohio — as his running mate, Palin applauded the pick.
With a collage of photos of Palin, and Palin and Trump together (see below), Palin wrote: “Posting positive in solidarity & with respect for Pres. Trump’s acumen in choosing his running mate. He who must help usher in drastic change away from the Leftist & UniParty-Centric agenda, Godspeed JD Vance.” She added, “Illegitimi non carborundum!” and “Look forward to working together.”
Posting positive in solidarity & with respect for Pres. #Trump’s acumen in choosing his running mate. He who must help usher in drastic change away from the Leftist & UniParty-Centric agenda, Godspeed @JDVance1 Illegitimi non carborundum! Look forward to working together… pic.twitter.com/nNP5MaTHRf
— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) July 15, 2024
Illegitimi non carborundum is a fake Latin aphorism, translated “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” The phrase was popularized during the 1964 presidential campaign of GOP nominee Barry Goldwater, an Arizona Senator who lost to Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson. (Note: Sen. Goldwater was succeeded by Palin’s future running mate, the late John McCain.)
More fun facts about that fake Latin phrase: former Speaker of the House John Boehner — like Vance, an Ohio Republican — had a plaque featuring the phrase on his desk, and Dr. Anthony Fauci used it to title one of the chapters in his memoir, “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Health.” Fauci has said that he often used the pseudo-Latin expression when dealing with politicians.