In January 2023, J. D. Vance had just arrived in the Senate. One of the first things he did was to pen an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal endorsing Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination. His primary argument was that Trump, “started no wars despite enormous pressure from his own party and even members of his own administration.” This is a “low bar,” he granted, but “that’s a reflection of the hawkishness of Mr. Trump’s predecessors and the foreign-policy establishment they slavishly followed.”

In January 2026, Vance is vice president of the United States, and Trump has carried out regime change in Venezuela. At a press conference this morning, Trump announced an open-ended commitment by the United States to “run Venezuela” until a regime more to our liking could be installed. Vice President Vance took to social media to crow about Trump’s toughness and resolve.

The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.

Kudos to our brave . . .  pic.twitter.com/b1fqkdbB4x

 — JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2026