They Asked JD Vance Who Leads Democrats, And His Answer Didn't Disappoint
In a Friday appearance on Special Report with Bret Baier, Vice President JD Vance asserted that the Democratic Party’s current figurehead is, ironically, “President Donald Trump,” citing the party’s persistent efforts to counter everything he does.
Since Trump’s victory in November, Democrats have faced declining popularity with voters and continue to struggle with defining a clear leader or cohesive message. During the interview, host Bret Baier asked Vance whether Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might be emerging as the new face of Democratic leadership.
“President AOC, the stuff of nightmares, Bret, thank you. You’ve ruined my sleep for this evening,” Vance joked, before adding, “I don’t know.”
Baier pressed further, questioning whether Vance even considers the future of the Democratic Party and who might step up as a leader following Trump’s defeat of both former Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the party’s unsuccessful vice presidential nominee.
“To the extent the Democrats have a leader, Donald J. Trump is the leader of the Democratic Party,” Vance replied.
He elaborated, saying, “Because they’re just against everything that he does. Who could possibly disagree with rebuilding American manufacturing and ensuring these steelworkers have higher wages and better jobs?
“But any time Donald Trump does anything, they have this emotional response, they have to be against. Who could disagree with deporting millions of illegal aliens, many of whom are violent criminals? But they do, they have,” he added.
Polling seems to support Vance’s characterization. A CNN/SSRS poll from March indicated that approval for the Democratic Party had plummeted to 29%—a record low—falling 20 points since January 2021. Notably, over 30% of respondents couldn’t identify a Democratic figure who “best reflects the core values” of the party. Among those who could, 10% chose Ocasio-Cortez, 9% named Harris, 8% picked Sen. Bernie Sanders, and 6% selected House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
“Whenever Donald J. Trump does something, they react negatively to it. They don’t have real leadership,” Vance continued. “I think it’s why I’m not too concerned about 2028 because if I wake up in a fantasy world where the Democrats actually have constructive ideas about how to govern this country, that’ll actually be a good thing. But in the world that we actually live in, where they’re just anti-Trump about everything, the politics of 2028 will take care of themselves.”
With both the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election on the horizon, speculation is growing that California Governor Gavin Newsom and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez are potential contenders for the Democratic nomination.