Vice-presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz sparred over US foreign policy in a debate in New York on Tuesday night, laying out sharply contrasting visions of America’s role in the world at a pivotal moment in the final stretch of the 2024 White House race.
The first, and probably only, debate between Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s running mates came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate against Iran after the Islamic republic fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel. Both vice-presidential candidates were asked whether they would support a pre-emptive strike by Israel on Iran.
Walz echoed Harris’s comments earlier on Tuesday, when the vice-president said she “unequivocally” condemned Iran’s attack and said she would “always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself”.
But Walz also quickly turned his focus to Trump, accusing the Republican former president of being a “fickle” leader who had abandoned multilateral coalitions, including pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.
Vance defended Trump, saying the former president had projected “peace through strength” during his four years in the White House, adding it was “up to Israel to do what they think they need to do to keep their country safe”.
“When was the last time that an American president didn’t have a major conflict break out?” asked Vance. “The only answer was during the four years of Donald Trump’s presidency.”
Tuesday’s debate was seen as a chance for Vance, in particular, to improve his tepid approval ratings.
An Associated Press poll last week showed more than half — 57 per cent — of registered voters had an unfavourable view of Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, compared with just under a third who disliked Walz, Minnesota’s Democratic governor.
Tuesday’s showdown, hosted by CBS News, is also probably the last televised debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle. While Harris has accepted an invitation from CNN for another presidential debate in late October, Trump has said he has no intention of taking the stage again.
The Financial Times poll tracker shows that while Harris enjoys a 3.6 percentage point lead over Trump in national polls, the two candidates remain in a virtual tie in all seven swing states that are likely to decide who wins the White House.
The first presidential debate between Harris and Trump last month on ABC News was viewed by more than 60mn people, according to Nielsen estimates, and was widely seen as a “win” for Harris, who repeatedly put Trump on the defensive.
Yet the showdown has failed to have a significant impact on either candidate’s polling numbers, and few political operatives — including insiders from both campaigns — believe Tuesday’s debate will move the needle.
Still, the stakes remain high for Vance and Walz, as the debate offers both men arguably their biggest platform to pitch themselves — and more importantly their bosses — to the American electorate.
Vance, 40, had been seen as a rising star in the Republican party since he was elected to the US Senate in 2022. But his time on the campaign trail has been controversial, with the one-time Trump critic-turned-Maga loyalist’s approval ratings falling, particularly among women.
Even so, allies and critics say Vance — a Yale Law School graduate, Marine veteran and former venture capitalist — is likely to deliver a strong performance on Tuesday night. The Ohio senator prepared for the debate with help from top Trump campaign advisers; his wife, former US Supreme Court clerk Usha Vance; and Minnesota congressman Tom Emmer, who has played the role of Walz in mock debates.
Walz, a 60-year-old former teacher and high school football coach who served several terms in Congress before running for governor of Minnesota, is generally seen as a less enthusiastic debater. He also dedicated significant time to preparing for the event, with US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg — arguably one of the Democratic party’s most effective communicators — playing the part of Vance.