Overview
- The first round of U.S.–Iran negotiations in Islamabad ended without a deal, and a planned follow-up has been put on ice, leaving the diplomatic track unresolved.
- President Trump has told associates he will blame J.D. Vance if talks fail and take credit if they succeed, and shifting statements about whether Vance would travel to Islamabad fueled public confusion.
- Public sentiment has turned sour, with an Ipsos poll reporting most Americans say the decision to strike Iran was not worth it, and coverage notes Vance’s approval has dropped to among the lowest for a vice president.
- Vance’s defense of the administration’s approach has brought blowback, including his rebuke of Pope Leo over criticism of the war, which drew a response from U.S. Catholic bishops.
- Analysts say Vance’s standing for 2028 faces new headwinds as donors and conservative factions press competing demands and as Secretary of State Marco Rubio gains ground in political handicapping.