JD Vance’s approval has slipped underwater after starting Trump’s latest term in positive territory, leaving him described as a historically unpopular vice-president.
Recent remarks on Pope Leo, Catholic immigration teaching and Watergate fit a broader strategy: proving to Trump’s base that he can channel the same grievance politics as the president ahead of 2028.
That effort has revived earlier controversies, including Vance’s “childless cat ladies” insult and his promotion of false claims about Haitian-Americans in Springfield, Ohio.
His profile has also been shaped by higher-visibility foreign roles—from backing Hungary’s Viktor Orban to representing the White House during the Iran war—even as many Americans want the administration focused at home.
The result is a tension at the heart of Vance’s positioning: the rhetoric may weaken his broader appeal while strengthening his claim to be Trump’s most natural successor.