Vance, after the Republicans' midterm defeat, builds his own agenda without Trump

US Vice President JD Vance, after the Republicans' defeat in the November 3 congressional elections, has changed his public strategy: he mentions Trump less often, avoids the topics of the war with Iran and deportations, and emphasizes the economy, security, and restraint in foreign policy. He has not yet announced a possible run in the 2028 elections.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 8 November 2026 at 09:072 min read

The key facts

Since September 2026, Vance has shifted the focus of his speeches toward economic nationalism, security, and limiting foreign interventions
He blamed the defeat on the war with Iran, citing Trump's words
There is no talk of a break with Trump: White House chief of staff Susie Wiles knew about Vance's post in advance

A strategy change after November 3

US Vice President JD Vance has begun building his own political agenda and increasingly rarely mentions Donald Trump in public appearances. This is reported by Reuters, whose analysis is retold by Life.ru and Gazeta.Ru. The agency examined six of Vance's speeches since September 2026: during the campaign ahead of the November 3 congressional vote, he focused on economic policy, public safety, and limiting US military intervention abroad, while almost entirely stopped discussing Trump's key initiatives — the war with Iran and the mass deportation of illegal migrants.

The blame placed on the war with Iran

According to Reuters sources, Vance and his advisers deliberately changed their strategy, viewing economic nationalism, foreign policy restraint, and the fight against crime as the foundation of his own political reputation. After the Republicans' defeat, in which they lost control of both chambers of Congress, Vance openly criticized the continuation of the conflict with Iran:

No break with Trump yet

Reuters sources emphasize that Vance's statements do not mean a final break with the president: his post had been known in advance to then White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Within the Republican Party, Vance is seen as one of the possible contenders in the 2028 presidential election, and Gazeta.Ru writes that his candidacy is considered key for the party. The politician himself has said that he does not know whether he will run, and Trump has not endorsed a single candidate. At the same time, the midterm results also affected the vice president's own standing: Republicans lost, among other places, in states where he personally took part in the campaign.