Is US President Donald Trump sidelining his own Vice President? Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney believes JD Vance’s role in the high-stakes Iran negotiations appears to be shrinking, even as the conflict enters a critical phase.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Chellaney said Vance has been “effectively being marginalised by the President,” pointing to his absence from key decision-making despite being linked to the negotiation process. “JD Vance belongs to the non-intervention wing… and Trump’s war has placed him in a very difficult position,” he noted.
Chellaney added that Trump has “placed his son-in-law and his business associate in charge of negotiations,” signalling a shift towards backchannel diplomacy. The decision to send Vance to Hungary during a potential escalation, he said, underscores how “he is being squeezed in this current environment.”
The remarks come as tensions escalate on day 39 of the war, with Trump issuing a stark warning ahead of his Strait of Hormuz deadline, raising fears of wider economic and geopolitical disruption.
First Published: Apr 7, 2026 8:09 PM IS
