Vance retreats as 'America First' fractures over Iran war — SkimNews
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- JD Vance delivered a speech at the GOP midterm convention emphasizing party unity but omitted direct mention of foreign policy, despite previously championing Trump's 'America First' as a break from hawkishness.
- Institute for Peace & Diplomacy launched 'Reclaiming America First,' a project to redefine the doctrine as realist and nonpartisan, arguing that Trump has disingenuously used the term amid military escalation in Iran.
- Arta Moeini stated during a panel that 'America First' should be grounded in realism and domestic renewal, not tied to any individual, and criticized its association with Trump’s current foreign policy approach.
- Michael Brendan Dougherty suggested that any future restraint under a Vance presidency would stem from depleted munitions and public opposition to war, not strategic principle.
- Navigator Research found that about 20% of Trump’s 2024 voters regret their choice, with nearly half citing the Iran war as the main reason, indicating erosion within the base.
Why it matters: Roughly 20% of Trump’s 2024 voters now regret their support, and nearly half blame the Iran war—this shift weakens the political foundation of the 'America First' brand Vance once defended, while think tanks move to reclaim it on realist grounds independent of Trump.
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