MAGA has started to turn on Vice President JD Vance, and in doing so, it's left room for his rivals and complicated his status among his conservative base, a columnist argued on Wednesday.
The Guardian's Arwa Mahdawi discussed how Vance has been eating sauerkraut and losing weight under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recommendations, but he can't seem to keep his MAGA coalition happy. Kennedy recently commented on Vance's weight loss, claiming he lost 20 pounds in 20 days.
"JD Vance is also on the diet, and you can see how different he looks," Kennedy said.
"Dunno about that: still looks like a naked opportunist to me," Mahdawi wrote.
Amid reports that Vance's security detail has accommodated frequent or last-minute helicopter trips for his family, Vance's standing among Republicans has also come into question, according to The Washington Post.
"Vance’s allies told the Post that the attacks, which seem largely driven by his mild criticism of Israel and the Iran war, are a 'coordinated' attempt to poison his 2028 presidential chances," Mahdawi wrote.
Angering the GOP could create a path for Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the 2028 presidential race, she added.
"I can’t say it’s not fun to watch MAGA infighting," Mahdawi quipped. "Nevertheless, it’s hard to take too much satisfaction from Vance’s troubles considering they only really benefit his rival for the 2028 Republican nomination: the odious war hawk Marco Rubio, who is now narrowing the gap with Vance in the polls. A setback for one awful politician always seems to spell a career boost for someone even worse. It’s really quite the pickle."