Vice President JD Vance is facing strong criticism from senior Republican lawmakers after raising concerns about President Donald Trump’s military decision during a Signal group chat that has now become public.
According to an NBC News report titled “JD Vance’s role in Signal chat angers senior Republican lawmakers”, many within the GOP believe that Vance may have attempted to block or question a key directive from President Trump involving a military strike on the Houthis in Yemen.
Vance Raised Concerns in Now-Leaked Chat
While Vance had initially avoided much of the backlash surrounding the SignalGate scandal, his role in the leaked Signal chat is now under scrutiny. The chat reportedly included top U.S. officials — and mistakenly, a reporter — during discussions about U.S. military operations.
The issue became more controversial when Vance expressed last-minute concerns over the President’s order, something that some Republicans say should not have happened once the Commander-in-Chief had already made a decision.
Senior GOP Leaders Express Frustration
NBC News quoted a top Republican official on Capitol Hill saying:
“Capitol Hill Republicans still have their jaws on the floor with how actively the VP worked to try and undo a Trump decision… Thank goodness [Stephen] Miller stepped in and put him in his place.”
Others within the party compared Vance’s actions to those of John Bolton, former National Security Advisor, who was known for his hawkish foreign policy and occasional conflicts with Trump.
Another GOP lawmaker reportedly added:
“It’s one thing to have a healthy interagency debate before a decision is made. It’s another to try and undo it after the President has signed off. That’s unacceptable.”
Is There a Divide Between MAGA and Traditional GOP?
The incident appears to highlight a growing rift within the Republican Party — between Trump-aligned MAGA supporters and more traditional, internationalist Republicans.
Some lawmakers believe Vance’s questioning of Trump’s decision puts him on the wrong side of this internal divide, while others think he may be trying to take a more measured or cautious approach to military decisions.
In one Signal message, Vance reportedly questioned:
“The President was not aware how inconsistent this is with his own messaging?”
This message, according to lawmakers, was seen as a direct challenge to Trump’s authority and judgment on foreign policy matters.
What This Could Mean Politically
As Trump heads into his new term with Vance as Vice President, any public disagreement between the two could become a political flashpoint. While some see Vance’s concerns as a sign of healthy debate, others see it as a dangerous challenge to Trump’s leadership.
For now, the White House has not officially commented, but insiders say the issue has caused tension behind the scenes.