Republican VP candidate JD Vance championed former President Trump's success in ending or preventing foreign conflicts.
Fox News reported that Senator JD Vance has been vocal about his support for Donald Trump's foreign policy, specifically Trump's aversion to unnecessary military conflicts. Vance argues that this policy often resulted in disagreements with Pentagon officials who favored intervention.
Detailed in a CNN "State of the Union" interview with Jake Tapper, Vance described how Trump's approach led to substantial pushback from prominent figures, including former White House chief of staff John Kelly. Kelly has publicly criticized Trump, calling him the "definition of a fascist."
However, Vance pointed out how the Pentagon and America's upper crust of military officers are often eager to get involved in disastrous conflicts that cost blood and money in return for little to nothing.
According to Vance, the discord between Trump and certain high-ranking officials was due to a fundamental difference in perspectives on military engagement.
His stance was evident during a campaign event in Michigan at the Elite Jet at Contact Aviation facility on October 24, 2024. Here, Vance emphasized Trump's determination to avoid what he termed "ridiculous wars."
While defending Trump, Vance also critiqued Vice President Kamala Harris for not dismissing ineffective employees, linking this to a broader issue of accountability, particularly highlighted during the aftermath of the Afghanistan withdrawal. Vance stressed that this kind of leadership contrast defined the former administration's ethos under Trump.
Judging from discussions with Trump administration insiders, Vance articulated during his campaign that Trump's administration was consistently inclined towards peace rather than conflict.
This sentiment was echoed at a roundtable with faith leaders in Zebulon, Georgia, a day before his Michigan speech, where Trump himself asserted the use of military power should be conservative, focusing instead on maintaining existing peace.
In "Meet the Press" on NBC, Vance took the opportunity to shed light on Trump's view of NATO. He stressed that while Trump believes in a strong NATO, he also wants all member countries to contribute fairly to the alliance. Additionally, he described Russian President Vladimir Putin as an adversary, tackling assumptions about Trump's stance on Russia.
Vance further criticized the current media focus, urging for more attention on domestic issues like the high cost of groceries and housing, which he believes directly impacts Americans. This theme recurred throughout his campaign, advocating for a shift in national conversation priorities.
The searing assessment of former Pentagon officials came under Vance’s scrutiny too. He named Mark Milley, Mike Pence, James Mattis, Mark Esper, and John Bolton as part of a group that often clashed with Trump due to their differing views on peace and military engagement.
Vance’s assertion, "Donald Trump wouldn't listen to the leadership of the military when they wanted him to start ridiculous conflicts," highlights a cornerstone of his defense of Trump’s tenure. This perspective aligns with Vance's broader criticisms of what he terms the military-industrial complex’s eagerness for engagement.
"I know John Kelly's worldview," Vance stated, emphasizing his understanding of the contrast between Kelly’s and Trump’s military policy perspectives. He suggested that their clash stemmed from a principled disagreement on how the United States should engage or avoid conflicts abroad.
The repeated references to neoconservatives and ex-Pentagon officials suggest a deep divide within the Republican Party and the U.S. leadership on foreign policy, a point Vance articulates as central to Trump's presidency and now, his campaigning strategy.
Wrapping up his spirited defense, Vance corrected misunderstandings about Trump's supposed intentions to use the military against U.S. citizens. Instead, he explained that Trump's remarks need to be viewed through the lens of handling domestic unrest more effectively.
During his campaign tours and interviews, Vance has consistently argued that Trump represented a break from the traditional Republican hawkishness. He champions this as part of Trump’s appeal, portraying him as the "candidate of peace," in direct opposition to those within his party calling for greater military involvement abroad.
The narrative that Vance weaves is one of a former president who, despite internal and external pressures, maintained a course that avoided new conflicts, pushing back against a faction within his administration that disagreed. His vocal support of Trump underscores a pivotal debate in U.S. foreign policy circles about the role of military power in international relations.