Thursday, September 3, 2026

JD Vance is back in front of the cameras

After a round of media speculation surrounding Pete Hegseth and the possibility that Donald Trump's secretary of "war" could take over the Maga mantle, the White House thrust JD Vance back into the spotlight today.

At the first White House press briefing since Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's departure, Vance took the stand and held court with the press room for just under an hour.

In that hour, he reminded Washington why Donald Trump selected him as a running mate and elevated a junior senator from Ohio to the big leagues.

Unlike the president's often combative informal Q&As with the press pool, Vance calmly made the case for defending the Maga vision in the upcoming midterms on Thursday. If Vance was auditioning to stay relevant in the 2028 conversation, many Republicans will come away from Thursday's briefing thinking he succeeded.

As for the rest of the country? The verdict may not be in Vance's favor.

The vice president's arguments are simply not being accepted by the American public. As Vance took questions on the administration's now six-month-long conflict in the Middle East, he boldly claimed that the U.S. and Iran were not actually still at war at all.

In doing so, Vance tacitly admitted that the administration can't end the war, or won't. Asked by a reporter when the war will end, Vance responded that it would end when the Iranians stopped firing on merchant vessels — leaving the question out of the U.S.'s hands entirely. He also questioned why it was the U.S. job to secure the Strait of Hormuz, as if it was incumbent upon the rest of the world to clean up Trump's mess.

What began Thursday as Vance's big moment turned into something else: Proof that the administration's war with Iran is beginning to dominate the second Trump presidency.

Read more here.

By John Bowden

Reading list

Paul Farrell and Ariana Baio: Gloria Steinem, pioneering voice of modern feminism, dies at 92
Sarah Ditum: I’m only sad that Gloria Steinem lived to witness Donald Trump trash all she fought for

Daily briefing

Mike Johnson abruptly cancels final weeks of House votes amid panic over midterm elections

The House of Representatives abruptly canceled the final two weeks of votes for September, effectively giving the body four days of work before the midterm elections. Eric Garcia reports from the Hill.

Don't forget to complete your registration

We've noticed that you still have not completed your registration to The Independent. Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism. It allows us to better understand our readers and tailor your experience.

By registering, you'll also gain access to a range of exclusive benefits, including:

Limited access to Premium articles
Access to The Independent app
Access to more than 20 newsletters
Commenting on independent.co.uk

Unlock these benefits by completing your registration today.

COMPLETE YOUR REGISTRATION NOW

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I'm really looking forward to hanging out with Joe Biden. I’m sure we’ll have many, many intense, intellectual conversations.

Vice President JD Vance aims a jab at former president Joe Biden over their upcoming attendance at a 9/11 memorial event.

What else you need to know

Hegseth vs Driscoll: The outgoing U.S. Army secretary reportedly told Donald Trump that his pick to lead the military was doing "generational" damage to America's armed services. A Republican senator is calling for Hegseth to be fired. Will Trump's secretary of "war" survive his battle with this key ally of JD Vance? Owen Scott has more.
Bartiromo booted: Fox Business's Maria Bartiromo is out abruptly after more than a decade with the network. One of Donald Trump's favorites, the reason for her departure was not given and her bio was immediately scrubbed from the Fox website. Kevin E G Perry reports on her sudden departure and the speculation surrounding it.