The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill

Can Vance make Trump’s party his own? He should look to Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.

by Frank DiFulvio, opinion contributor - 10/22/26 7:30 AM ET

by Frank DiFulvio, opinion contributor - 10/22/26 7:30 AM ET

Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP Vance and Meloni.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prevents presidents from being elected to more than two terms. With President Trump winning re-election in 2024, he will not be eligible to run again.

This reality has both Democrats and Republicans asking themselves whether “Trumpism” will survive once he exits the political stage. The second question often debated is who will inherit Trump’s base, and can his successor sustain Trump’s hold on the Republican Party and the MAGA movement.

The person most likely to inherit Trump’s base is Vice President JD Vance. In many ways, Vance is more aligned with the MAGA movement than Trump himself — most notably on foreign policy, U.S.…