Vice President JD Vance issued a 600-word statement on X on Wednesday blaming Republicans' midterm election losses on what he called "the war," in what observers interpreted as an effort to distance himself from President Donald Trump ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run.
Vance wrote that Trump's 2024 voters had deserted the party in the midterms and stated: "The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night." Trump had defended the war in interviews but acknowledged it played a factor in Democrats flipping control of the House and Senate.
Vance challenged Republicans to defend the war's political cost. "If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so," he wrote. "Agree or disagree, that's at least honest."
The BBC reported that Vance showed the statement to Trump before posting it. Trump later told reporters he agreed with Vance that the midterms were "largely" decided by the war, though Trump added he would "do it again" if given the same choices.
Daniel Byman, a foreign policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Vance's statement appeared designed as "a way of separating himself from Trump." Republican strategist Ashley Davis told the BBC that Vance "put his toe in the water to see what he's going to do."
Beyond the Iran war criticism, Vance offered a four-point political roadmap: "1) End the war 2) Focus on cost of living/inflation 3) Put America First 4) Change our relationship to Israel." The BBC noted that Vance has not officially announced a 2028 campaign and that Trump has not indicated which Republican he might endorse for the 2028 nomination.