Why does JD Vance keep saying loony things? | Margaret Sullivan

Scratch their surface and you see exactly what he’s trying to do: stand up strong for intolerance and corruption Given how impetuous Donald Trump is, his vice-president, JD Vance, strikes some Americans as a more stable alternative. A good bet, some of the Maga faithful believe, as the 2028 Republican nominee for president, and the eventual occupant of the Oval Office. Every bit as rightwing as Trump but more serious and predictable – that seems to be Vance’s pitch to the public. And he clearly wants to be president; he’s as ambitious as they come. Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture Continue reading...

Margaret Sullivan · Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 3:00 AM
US news | The Guardian

Why does JD Vance keep saying loony things? | Margaret Sullivan

Scratch their surface and you see exactly what he’s trying to do: stand up strong for intolerance and corruption

Given how impetuous Donald Trump is, his vice-president, JD Vance, strikes some Americans as a more stable alternative. A good bet, some of the Maga faithful believe, as the 2028 Republican nominee for president, and the eventual occupant of the Oval Office.

Every bit as rightwing as Trump but more serious and predictable – that seems to be Vance’s pitch to the public. And he clearly wants to be president; he’s as ambitious as they come.

Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture

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