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I’m Jonathan Tamari, senior Washington reporter for Bloomberg Government, and each weekday I’ll be coming to you with inside-the-room reporting and insights that reveal what’s really happening in Washington—and how it impacts you. Email me with feedback and comments here. If this newsletter was forwarded to you sign up here. Today, JD Vance steps up, RFK Jr. eases back, and Democrats chart a path to winning the Senate. Vance’s Big ChanceIt’s the biggest moment yet of JD Vance’s vice presidency. The VP (who has been conspicuously quiet for much of the Iran war) is suddenly center stage for peace talks. His work turning a shaky ceasefire into a lasting peace could determine the course of the conflict – with all the related human and economic consequences – not to mention his own future, and that of MAGA. No pressure. 
JD Vance speaks at a pre-election rally for Viktor Orban on April 7
Photographer: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg
Vance has been loyal to Donald Trump but generally opposed to foreign interventions. Many insiders see him as the favorite to inherit the president’s political movement in 2028 (he came in first in the recent CPAC straw poll). He could strengthen that standing if he can now help end an unpopular conflict that even some prominent MAGA influencers criticized. But there are huge obstacles. Vance, after rallying for Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, is traveling to Pakistan for negotiations that begin Saturday. He joins two men who landed a peace deal for Gaza: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law, Jared Kushner. They have a two-week window to get an agreement. Vance, who has served as the attack dog to Trump’s, um, also attack dog, has shown some recent moments of unusual delicacy. When Iran accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by continuing strikes in Lebanon, Vance called it a “legitimate misunderstanding” while emphasizing the US position that Lebanon was never part of the deal. Vance comes to the talks from a very different position than most of Trump’s team. Reporting from the New York Times suggests he was one of the few, if only, advisers in Trump’s inner circle who warned against the downsides of the war and made clear his opposition. He cautioned against the potential chaos that could unfold, telling Trump it was a bad idea, but that he would support the president’s decision. None of which is to say this is an easy assignment, or likely to end in success. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains largely stalled despite the truce, and the ceasefire is strained. Tehran enters talks with a hardline stance, demanding control over the strait and the right to charge fees for ships passing through the vital waterway. 
A vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz on April 8
Photographer: Anadolu/Anadolu
By backing down from his threats, Trump has undermined US leverage. He will ultimately have to sign off on any deal. Plus there’s a long history of VPs eating the political costs of an administration’s toughest assignments. Just ask Kamala Harris. But if Vance can come out of the next two weeks with an open strait and peace, he may sidestep blame for the fight while also claiming success for ending it. That’s a good start for 2028. Top NewsRobert F. Kennedy Jr. is going on a low-risk messaging diet ahead of the midterm election. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has notably swallowed his trademark vaccine skepticism in recent weeks, even in front of the friendliest audiences, Rachel Cohrs Zhang and Jessica Nix report. 
The break in fighting hasn’t cooled Trump’s feelings toward NATO. The president blasted the alliance again hours after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” he posted last night. Businesses should be cautious about the ceasefire, according to their lobbyists here in DC. “Don’t overreact,” one prominent adviser told BGOV in describing his advice. “Don’t be optimistic. Don’t be pessimistic.” Tyler Jordan spent a decade working in his parents’ shop cutting quartz slabs for countertops and tabletops. At 27, he was diagnosed with silicosis, an incurable lung disease, Tre’Vaughn Howard reports. Next week, his lawsuit against the manufacturers of so-called engineered stone is scheduled to go to trial, one among a wave of court cases. Is Ricardo Salinas Pliego the Trump of Mexico? The billionaire has demonstrated his political appeal and is being encouraged to challenge the current government. He’s like Trump, if the president had risen to power while also owning Fox News, Bank of America and Walmart. Watch This 
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer traveled to the Gulf to meet with leaders in the region
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