He has not yet formally declared that he will run.
Vance, a long-time vocal critic of US foreign interventionism, had reportedly been sceptical behind the scenes about the war on Iran that Trump and Israel launched in late February.
Vance also acknowledged that Republican voters who backed Trump and himself two years ago had switched sides due to the war and its effects on the US economy.
“The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026,” Vance said.
He said a pollster he respected showed that the Iran war and the economy were key factors in voters abandoning Republicans, with a desire to “change our relationship to Israel”.
– AFP