Trump’s ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop’ strategy: Can JD Vance deliver peace in high-stakes Iran talks?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump’s ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop’ strategy: Can JD Vance deliver peace in high-stakes Iran talks?")
US Vice President JD Vance speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force Two at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on April 10, 2026, as he departs for Pakistan for talks on Iran. Photograph: (AFP)
US Vice President JD Vance steps into the spotlight as he leads high-stakes Iran peace talks in Islamabad. Is this a diplomatic gamble by Donald Trump or a calculated political move ahead of 2028
US Vice President JD Vance is leading the US delegation in Islamabad for the high-stakes diplomatic talks with Iran. After remaining absent from the scene for much of the key developments in the US-Iran war, Vance has emerged as the central figure in a crucial “make or break” situation to lead the fragile and tenous ceasefire to an enduring peace in what could be the most devastating war the region has seen in decades. He is accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Why JD Vance?
JD Vance had maintained a studied distance since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, when the Trump administration was failing to put together a coherent strategy. Vance had remained widely sceptical of foreign intervention, and Iran sees him as a “fresh face” compared to the more hawkish US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
Vance had been part of the diplomatic talks for some time now. On March 26, US President Donald Trump asked Vance to brief the cabinet on Iran, hinting that he is leading the diplomatic efforts. Pakistani media also reported that Vance had previously scheduled visits to Islamabad twice, along with Witkoff and Kushner, for negotiations with their Iranian counterpart, but the plan was later discarded. US President Donald Trump, during the Easter dinner on April 1, discussed the Iran peace talks, “So, if it doesn’t happen, I’m blaming JD Vance,” Trump said, “If it does happen, I’m taking full credit.”
The stakes are also equally high for Vice President JD Vance; a successful negotiation would cement his credentials for the Presidential race in 2028, while a failure can damage his prospects. However, analysts remain sceptical of the possibility of any permanent peace, as the US continue its military build-up in the region and some of its observers also note that this is “Good Cop”, “Bad Cop” tactic as Trump maintains “maximum pressure” narrative.
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Vance's public and private scepticism of the war and now his involvement in peace talks is likely an attempt to reconcile with the anti-war camp, including the likes of Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, Matt Walsh and Joe Kent, etc. So that if this fails, the US has a prolonged war, then there are reduced chances of “MAGA mutiny” ahead of the mid-term.
