
By Elijah J. Magnier
President Donald Trump said he “did the right thing” by attacking Iran and “would have done it again”, expressing no regret despite the electoral consequences. Vice President JD Vance’s response to the Republican midterm defeat suggests a different political calculation. By identifying the policies that drove voters away, he appears to be preparing the ground for the 2028 presidential contest, seeking to prevent the record of an administration in which he serves from undermining his own ambitions.
The vice-president cited a pollster who asked former Trump supporters what would persuade them to return to the Republicans. He reported four answers: “End the war”; “Focus on cost of living/inflation”; “Put America First”; and “Change our relationship to Israel”. Together, those demands challenge the administration’s priorities and its understanding of the mandate it received in 2024.
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