Fox's Lawrence Jones: JD Vance needs to “distance himself” from podcasters “going against the president” if he wants to be the 2028 GOP nominee
Brian Kilmeade: “The problem is that in that crowd, unlike in 2024, they've left the president and they've spent all day and night ripping the president”
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From the August 25, 2026, edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends
LAWRENCE JONES (CO-HOST): They have made it very clear that they are going to focus on their family as well. But the vice president, it's his to lose right now. If he wants the nomination, he is obviously going to have to work for it. If he sticks to the agenda of the president, also highlighting the things that matter to him, he can win this thing. But he's also is going to have to distance himself from some of the crazies as well.
There are people within the movement that are going against the president right now, and they are saying all of this stuff in the podcast sphere. If he wants to be the nominee, he's going to have to make a choice to distance himself from that crowd. If he does that, focuses on the things that MAGA Republicans want and lean into his background, then he can get some new voters. But if he doesn't, he's going to split the party. There's going to be a whole wing saying somebody else should run.
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BRIAN KILMEADE (CO-HOST): He's going to have established people running against him. I think Sen. Ted Cruz is in there, and Ted Cruz is going to bring up those things that you just brought up. And from his perspective, he's like look, I can't afford to lose anybody. I need everybody. But the problem is that in that crowd, unlike in 2024, they've left the president and they've spent all day and night ripping the president, so I don't think you can be inclusive and call yourself Donald Trump's running mate and somebody who got the break of a lifetime by being picked by Donald Trump.