On the Political Currency podcast, Ed Balls warned that rising US Republican JD Vance is positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run with a hardline, Trump-style conservatism that could threaten Europe
Rising US politician JD Vance is already gearing up for a run at the presidency in 2028. A Trump-style Republican, this move may spark fears in Europe that American support for Ukraine and traditional alliances could be at risk.
According to British Labour Party politician and economist Ed Balls who served as the UK’s Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, and later as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Vance represents a new, hardline strain of American conservatism that could spell trouble for Europe if he gains more influence.
On the Political Currency podcast, which he co-hosts with his once political rival, British Conservative politician and journalist George Osborne, he opened up about Vance’s play for the next presidential election.
During the podcast’s “Promoting European Greatness” section of the new National Security Strategy, Balls said: “[JD Vance] made that speech at the Munich Security Conference at the beginning of the year, and that was the first time we heard the language so strongly echoed in this document.” He continued: “…That says to me this is actually a document about the next presidential election.
“JD Vance is setting out stall in the same way that Marco Rubio was setting out his stall when it comes to Latin America. If you are in opposition, you have to run against the failures of the government you’re taking on … and it’s very hard to run in the next presidential election against the government, because they are the government.
“So what do they have to do? You have to set up a bogeyman, a threat.
“‘If you elect a Democrat president, we will go like the Europeans. We’ll go down the road of civilizational erasure.’ …
“This is the Vance pitch for 2028.” Meanwhile, Osborne, who served as the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister David Cameron, argued it’s “a bit late” for Europe to come up with a Ukraine plan now.
He said: “Where’s our plan for the Ukrainian post war resettlement? … I fully applaud Starmer’s attempts to try and create a common European position.
“I just think it’s a bit late, three or four years on, to come up with Europe’s Ukraine plan.” On the original plan, which would see Ukraine ceding further territory to Russia, Balls added: “Actually currently on the table, as far as we can see, is a substantial rolling back from that position.
“As of today, who will reject this deal? It won’t be Zelensky that’ll reject it, it’ll be Putin because this is not a deal in his interest.
“Has that happened because Donald Trump has been persuaded by Zelenskyy. Has it happened because Donald Trump and the American negotiators, in those conversations with European leaders, have been persuaded that this is a bad deal, which would not only be bad for Ukraine and for Europe, but for America too.”
Who is JD Vance?
J.D. Vance is an American politician, author, and former US Senator from Ohio who became US president Donald Trump’s vice president in 2025. Known for his bestselling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy”, Vance served in the Marine Corps, attended Ohio State and Yale, and worked as a venture capitalist before entering politics.
Once a Trump critic, he later became a strong supporter and was chosen as Trump’s running mate in 2024. Vance is known for his conservative views, including opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and gun control, and has been influenced by Catholic theology.
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