George Will Says Vance's Ambitions 'Must Be Stymied' as Daily Wire Presses Him on His Role in the Iran Ceasefire

Since Vice President JD Vance's Nov. 4 post blaming the Iran war for Republican losses in the House and Senate, the fight over what he owes the party, and what the party owes him, has moved to the conservative opinion pages.

Will: "Stymied"

On Friday, Nov. 6, the Washington Post published a column by George Will headlined "President JD Vance? More slogging through a sewer of odious politics." Will wrote that "temperate Americans of all political persuasions, but especially conservatives, should act together to implement this proposition: JD Vance's ambitions must be stymied."

The excerpt of the column available offers no policy case. It is a call for organized opposition to a possible 2028 run, and it comes from a conservative columnist, not a Democrat.

Vance has said he has not decided whether to run. He said he would weigh his future after the midterms.

The Daily Wire's ceasefire argument

The Daily Wire went after a different part of Vance's record. Its opinion piece, headlined "Vance blames the war. He should answer for the ceasefire.", accepts Vance's invitation to an honest conversation and says it should include the ceasefire diplomacy he led.

Here is the timeline the piece lays out. On April 8, the White House said U.S. forces had "achieved and exceeded" their core objectives in 38 days. Vance was named to lead the negotiating delegation to Islamabad. Those talks ended without a deal.

A 14-point memorandum signed in June collapsed within a month and expired in August, according to the piece. Strikes flared again in September. That month Vance told reporters, "I wouldn't call it a war," saying major combat operations had lasted about six weeks.

The piece also describes the memorandum's terms. They included a start to lifting the U.S. naval blockade, oil waivers, access to Iran's frozen funds, and a reconstruction plan of at least $300 billion with no stated payer. Iran offered "best efforts" at safe passage through Hormuz, "with no charge for 60 days only." The text said nothing about Iran's missile program.

Vance had called the dollar figures "Iranian propaganda" and promised "not a single cent of American money." On Monday, Nov. 2, asked whether Tehran faced a deadline before strikes resumed, he said, "No, we haven't set deadlines."

The Daily Wire's argument is that Trump's decision to strike and the ceasefire strategy Vance led deserve separate scrutiny.

What Vance and Trump have said

Vance's own position is plain. "The reason we lost is the war," he wrote on X. "If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay."

He said a data analyst told him turnout was not the problem. "The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026," he wrote. He listed four reasons voters gave analysts for leaving: the Iran war, cost of living, not putting America first, and the U.S. relationship with Israel. He did not name the analysts.

Trump told reporters the claim was "largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit, short-term." He said he would start the war again if he had to, because Iran cannot be allowed a nuclear weapon. "You have to do it," he said. In a Tuesday call with Fox News, Trump also cited candidate quality as a factor.

The damage is large. Projections show Democrats with at least 228 House seats and 54 Senate seats, with some races uncalled. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats plan to pass a bill ending the Iran war once they take control in 2027.

Miller moves up

Breitbart News reported that Stephen Miller has been named White House chief of staff after Susie Wiles's exit. Vance responded: "Stephen Miller is an amazing patriot and will do great things. Congrats to him on a well-deserved promotion!"

Jeremy Carl of the Claremont Institute told Breitbart the move is "great news for today, and even better news for 2028." Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies said enforcement should shift toward payroll audits, no-match letters and changes to bank Know Your Customer rules, rather than street arrests.

Krikorian also floated a bargain: a targeted amnesty, such as for TPS holders, traded for narrow policy changes. That sits awkwardly beside Vance's Nov. 4 warning that "anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you." Vance said in the same post that he is open to focusing enforcement on businesses that hire illegal labor.

What comes next

Democrats take control of both chambers in January. Jeffries has promised an Iran war bill, and Trump has said he has the power of the veto and plans to use it.

Vance has not said whether he will run in 2028. Will wants him stopped, the Daily Wire wants him to answer for the ceasefire, and Trump has publicly agreed that the war cost Republicans votes.

Vance has not responded to the ceasefire criticism.