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Vance in His Pants

Everyone knows that J.D. Vance is desperately positioning himself to become Trump’s heir apparent, and our exclusive data suggests that he has the field almost to himself. But his popularity depends on his closeness to Trump, who could change his mind at any minute, for any reason.

JD Vance
Right now, Republican voters see Vance as Trump’s political firstborn, making him the de facto MAGA standard-bearer heading into the next election. Photo: Tom Brenner-Pool/Getty Images
Peter Hamby
December 17, 2025

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When I interviewed Hakeem Jeffries a few weeks back, he told me that Donald Trump had recently teased J.D. Vance in the Oval Office during government shutdown negotiations. Trump—apparently trying to spring a trap for Jeffries and Chuck Schumer in front of an official White House photographer—had an aide hand out a pair of red “TRUMP 2028” caps and suggested the Democratic leaders try them on. “You don’t have a problem with this?” Jeffries asked the V.P., pointing to the new merch. According to Jeffries, Vance smiled and said, “No comment.” The president then gestured toward his V.P. and quipped, “Perhaps he needs some more training.”