Vice President JD Vance reportedly surprised many on Thursday when he told NBC News that he has come to “appreciate” three prominent progressive politicians — even as he made clear that none of them, or any other Democrat, worries him as a potential opponent in 2028. In a wide-ranging interview touching on his marriage, antisemitism, and questions about his future ambitions, Vance named Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani as the three Democrats he finds most intellectually interesting.
Vance emphasized that his comments were not meant to elevate Democrats as political threats. Rather, he said the three stand out because, unlike most politicians on the left, they occasionally listen to voters and raise substantive issues — even when their solutions are far outside the American mainstream. Discussing Sanders, Vance said, “I’ve always been fascinated by Bernie,” recounting a humorous private exchange during his early days in the Senate. Vance added he won’t repeat the story, joking that doing so would “hurt me on both the left and the right,” and “probably hurt Bernie, too.”
Vance noted he has sparred frequently with Khanna on social media, calling him “very annoying” at times — but acknowledging that Khanna “occasionally will say something interesting, which is more than I could say for most politicians.” His comments underscore a broader theme Vance pressed throughout the interview: that today’s Democratic Party is dominated by voices more interested in ideology and theatrics than in addressing the real-world problems facing voters.
On Mamdani, Vance echoed President Trump’s assessment, saying he views the democratic socialist as essentially a communist. Still, Vance credited Mamdani for focusing “so aggressively on the affordability question in New York City,” where the cost-of-living crisis ranks among the worst anywhere in the world. “He’s at least listening to people,” Vance said — something he noted is rare in politics today. Trump himself met with Mamdani last month and praised him afterward, a moment Vance described as “fascinating.”
Despite complimenting the three on occasion, Vance said the broader affordability debate has been twisted by Democrats into what he called a “fake narrative.” Trump has recently declared that the so-called affordability “crisis” is a hoax manufactured by Democrats to deflect from the inflation problems their policies created. Vance backed that view forcefully. “The hoax is the idea that it’s our fault and not the Democrats’ fault,” he said. “And I do think that’s a totally bulls— narrative.”
Vance also downplayed the idea that any of the three — especially Sanders, who is not expected to run again — would present a credible challenge in 2028. Khanna has been floated as a potential Democratic contender, though Vance insisted he is avoiding the 2028 conversation altogether to stay focused on governing. Still, he acknowledged the outcome of the 2026 midterms could shape both the remainder of Trump’s second term and his own political future.
What Vance did make clear, however, is his commitment to loyalty. “The president really needs a vice president who is loyal to him,” he said, adding that he will never attack Trump while serving in the role. “If I run for another office in the future… let’s have that conversation. But I am never going to attack the president of the United States.”
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