Vance weighs delaying 2028 presidential bid amid doubts over Republican prospects

JD Vance is weighing whether to run for president in 2028, though advisers say a campaign remains possible and some expect him to enter the race. His doubts centre on whether Republicans can win after Donald Trump’s presidency, with the Iran war seen by allies as a major political obstacle.

Vance’s future has also become less certain since Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress on 3 November. He blamed the defeat on the war in a post on X; accounts differ over whether Trump approved the message, and Trump later removed Vance from Iran negotiations. Trump has not committed to endorsing him, while Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz and Brian Kemp are positioning themselves for 2028; Vance’s allies have begun regrouping as they await his decision.