That was my point. Like the appointments or not, they were not surprises. He put forth his plan, and he stuck with it. He kept the promise he'd made when he published the list.
Just like he kept his promise when he pulled out of the Paris Accord, and when he moved the embassy to Jerusalem, and when he turned the Generals loose and destroyed ISIS, and when he didn't start new foreign conflicts, and when he said he'd deliver tax relief, and when he talked about Right to Try, and when ... and... on and on.
There were plenty of people, including plenty right here of FR who didn't think he'd keep these promises. He proved the wrong.
So Vance wasn't onboard at the beginning. OK, neither were a LOT of people.
There were plenty of people, including plenty right here of FR who didn't think he'd appoint "pro-life justices in the Scalia mold".
He proved them right.
Too bad the AlwaysTrumpers who gloated about how "good" those appointments were at the time will never admit they were wrong, and apologize for bashing those of us who had our doubts.
Like Vance, I opposed Trump throughout the entire 2016 GOP primary season and (wrongly) thought he would be a disaster as the GOP nominee.
UNLIKE Vance, I didn't toy with "holding my nose and voting for Hillary", or even up ultimately voting for Egg McMuffin, who was running to the LEFT of Trump at that time.
And yes, I question the "true conservative" beliefs of anyone who went down that path.