JD Vance Denies Quitting 2028 White House Bid as 2 Allies Exit Over Iran Split

5 articles · Updated · The Independent · May 26

JD Vance’s team rejected reports that he is abandoning a 2028 presidential run, calling claims he is “more isolated than ever” after Tulsi Gabbard’s exit baseless.
Gabbard’s resignation as national intelligence director — publicly tied to her husband’s bone cancer — followed reports she had been sidelined over foreign-policy differences with the administration.
Vance’s standing has reportedly weakened since he argued before February’s Tehran strikes for a more limited operation, putting his non-interventionist stance at odds with Trump’s broader wars in Iran and Venezuela.
Joe Kent’s March resignation from the National Counterterrorism Centre left Vance without a second prominent anti-war ally, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s influence has grown.
At 41, Vance is still widely seen as a potential GOP heir, but the report underscores how the Iran war and internal foreign-policy splits could shape his 2028 path.

As Vance leads peace talks, is his influence growing or fading inside the administration?

Do conflicting U.S. and Iranian claims about the peace deal mean it is doomed to fail?

With public opinion against the Iran war, can a peace deal reverse the conflict's economic damage?