Overview

• On Pod Save America, Buttigieg called Vice President J.D. Vance “very smart” but “not a very principled person.”
• He highlighted Vance’s ideological reversal by noting that the vice president once likened Trump to Hitler before endorsing him as leader of the free world.
• Buttigieg’s critique came in response to questions about Vance’s potential 2028 candidacy after President Trump described him as his most likely successor.
• Last Tuesday, Trump said it was too early to anoint a successor yet indicated Vance would probably be the Republican nominee in three years.
• Podcast interviews and town halls are emerging as key platforms for would-be 2028 contenders to test messages and signal ambitions.