The Next Chapter

In Trump's shadow, JD Vance is quietly developing a plan to inherit the MAGA movement in 2028 and beyond

- BY DANIEL BUSH

AFTER DONALD TRUMP WON the 2024 election, JD Vance and his close advisers came up with a guiding principle for his vice presidency and new, unofficial role as heir apparent to the Make America Great Again movement.

There would be no specific policy portfolio, according to three people with knowledge of the informal strategy sessions that took place during the transition, details of which have not previously been reported.

Democrat Kamala Harris' tenure as vice president was viewed by Vance's team as a cautionary tale. Joe Biden had tasked her with tackling the “root causes” of migration to the United States, among other goals, and the immigration assignment in particular backfired. Republicans dubbed Harris the “border czar” and Donald Trump used the fight over immigration during the Biden years to attack her on the campaign trail.

Vance did not want to be “the Kamala Harris VP, where you have this portfolio of things. That was [seen as] pigeonholing him,” said a person familiar with Vance's thinking.

Instead, Vance entered office determined to serve as a political Swiss Army Knife and stalwart defender of Trump's agenda, all while keeping the focus on a possible 2028 White House run at bay for as long as possible. Twelve months into Trump's second term, the strategy appears to be working. Vance has emerged as one of the president's fiercest supporters on television and social media; an influential voice on domestic policy inside the administration; and a trusted messenger of Trump's America First vision abroad.

When praising Vance to allies in private, Trump is fond of referencing a quote about putting the best athletes on the field, which he attributes to the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi.