Vice President JD Vance publicly blamed Trump’s Iran war for Republicans’ big midterm loss. He’s partially right—the war, and related damage to the economy, gave a boost to Democrats—but notice how he didn’t blame corruption, ICE, bigotry, or tech oligarchs, which. Presumably because Vance likes those things, and plans to use them in a run for president.
Will Trump tolerate dissent like this? That’d be out of character, and the president is already signaling that he’ll try to take down any Republican who blames him for the electoral loss, Vance very much included.
JD has no path to the presidency without Trump, and might have no path with him either. Trying to pretend he wasn’t part of the Trump-Vance administration, at least not with the Iran war, isn’t going to work. But he looks like he’s going to try anyway.
And that could mean a widening MAGA crackup.
I went on the New Republic’s Daily Blast with Greg Sargent to discuss this and more in the midterm aftermath. Listen here, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://newrepublic.com/article/217607/trump-throws-vance-bus-maga-crackup-losses-turns-vicious
Being second to trump is a slow death. It didn’t work for Mike Pence and it won’t work for JD.
JD Vance the racist? (Think Springfield Haitians eating pets) Presidential candidate? might be final nail in Republican coffin.