JD Vance’s Iran test
The Global Story
BBC
3.8 • 663 Ratings
🗓️ 1 April 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
When Donald Trump was re-elected on a ‘no more wars’ promise, his vice-president was his staunchest ally, criticising previous US foreign interventions, most notably in Iraq, as well as the US’ recent financial support for Ukraine. And yet, the vice-president, who has substantial MAGA support and is expected to run for the 2028 presidency, now finds himself among Trump’s team negotiating an end to the US-Israel war on Iran, a war he was reportedly skeptical of launching.
What tactics will Vance use to secure both the interests of the president abroad, and his own domestic popularity among MAGA supporters who do not support the war? BBC Washington correspondent Daniel Bush joins us to discuss. Producer: Hannah Moore and Xandra Ellin Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:06.0 | In American politics, the vice president is often the one expected to be the White House's attack dog. |
| 0:11.0 | You should be ashamed of yourselves. Every single one of you. Questions. |
| 0:15.1 | J.D. Vance has adopted this role with a fervor we haven't seen in years. |
| 0:19.5 | Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office |
| 0:23.2 | to try to litigate this in front of the American media. |
| 0:25.5 | And across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat. |
| 0:29.9 | Most Democrats didn't stand up or clap. |
| 0:32.1 | And, you know, what a shame that is. |
| 0:33.8 | What a sad commentary that is on the Democratic Party. |
| 0:36.8 | Scolding allies, trolling critics, doubling down on Trump's election pledges, |
| 0:41.6 | including the president's promise of no new wars. |
| 0:45.7 | The trouble is that Trump's message has changed. |
| 0:50.7 | Launching a war in Iran has exposed some cracks in the Republican coalition. |
| 0:56.2 | Vance has long questioned American intervention abroad, |
| 0:59.7 | and now he's in the awkward position of being the VP to a president who's launched a war in Iran. |
| 1:06.1 | And Trump has said that Vance will be involved in talks to end it. |
| 1:10.5 | From the BBC, I'm Asma Khalid in London. |
| 1:14.5 | And today on the global story, J.D. Vance's biggest political test yet. |
| 1:30.2 | My name is Daniel Bush. |
| 1:35.2 | I'm the BBC's Washington correspondent here in D.C., where I cover the White House and Trump administration. |
| 1:41.7 | Daniel, it's wonderful to have you on the global story, and I feel so bad that you're there in our bureau in D.C. |
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