Former President Donald Trump's selection of Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his vice president could accelerate the Republican Party's move away from a “permanent conflict” approach to national security if Trump wins in November, former U.S. government officials and defense experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Vance has aligned with President Trump's “America First” approach to national security and has spoken out against U.S. intervention in foreign conflicts, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Given Vance's views, Trump's selection of him as vice president was a major turning point for the White House. surprised Several stand out Neocon — a term often used to describe “hawkish,” pro-intervention conservatives, but it has been welcomed by former U.S. officials and defense experts who told the DCNF that his views are credible and pragmatic. (Related: With Biden at the helm, it took a war to get NATO allies to take their obligations seriously)
“Vance is an anomaly among Republicans on foreign policy. You can either be the leader on foreign policy or you can be right on foreign policy, and Vance seems to be both,” Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy at the Cato Institute, told DCNF, noting that it's not surprising neoconservatives are outraged by Vance. “They're very worried, and they should be very worried.”
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump (L) and Republican vice presidential nominee and Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio appear on the first day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15, 2024. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“The selection of Vance marks a break with the Reagan wing, the establishment wing of the Republican Party, that has been the dominant wing of the Republican Party for a long time,” Michael DiMino, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities and a former CIA officer, told DCNF. “I think this is Trump putting a stake in the ground and saying, 'Hold on a second, let's put America first.' This is about pragmatism and restraint, and putting America's core interests first.”
Vance is expected to address the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Thursday, where he will highlight his positions on foreign policy, but his previous comments may give us some idea of what to expect from his speech. The Ohio senator has criticized the Biden administration's deepening involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war and the more than $175 billion in funding provided to Kyiv since 2022.
One of Vance's biggest concerns is that Ukraine cannot win the war, which he outlined in an April opinion piece. article According to the New York Times, Ukraine is suffering from a shortage of manpower, a problem that is only getting worse as Russian forces continue to seize territory in eastern Ukraine.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) (center) speaks to reporters between votes at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, February 12, 2024. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“Ukraine needs more soldiers than it can field, even with its strict conscription policy, and more supplies than the United States can provide,” Vance wrote in an April New York Times op-ed, urging Kiev to go on the defensive rather than on the offensive. “The Biden administration has no viable plan for Ukraine to win this war.”
Vance, who has voted against aid for Ukraine in the past, has said in recent months that the US should prioritise peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a policy shared by Trump, who has pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war if elected president in January before taking office. (Related: “I'm the guy”: Biden says he was the only one who asked countries for aid for Gaza, but it appears to have been to no avail)
“Vance is aligned with Trump on this issue,” retired Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, host of the Daniel Davis Deep Dive Show and a senior fellow at Defense Priorities, told DCNF. “It doesn't surprise me at all that people with different views on the Russia-Ukraine war and neo-con people are scared because they want a permanent conflict. Whether they say so or not, the consequences of their policies and choices are clear.”
More broadly, Vance has said the U.S. should pressure Europe to focus on its own security rather than relying on U.S. intervention. Like Trump, Vance has criticized NATO allies for not meeting their defense spending obligations while the U.S. pays more for defense than any of its allies.
President Joe Biden (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) attend the launch of the Ukraine Compact during the NATO 2024 Summit in Washington, DC, on July 11, 2024. (Photo by Kevin Deitch/Getty Images)
“Vance has established himself as a voice on foreign policy and Trump is aware of that, which is pretty much aligned with how Trump thinks about foreign policy and I think that will help,” Logan told DCNF.
Vance is scheduled to speak about foreign policy and defense at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, with the day's theme being “Making America Strong Again.” according to Lawmakers and administration officials who spoke to Politico on Wednesday said they were extremely worried about how Trump's pick of Vance would affect national security.
“The selection of someone like Vance only underscores that the future is moving toward 'America First,'” DiMino told DCNF. “And it upends the order that neoconservatives have been accustomed to for the last 25 years. I think you've seen people panicking about this in the last few days.”
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