Vance’s ‘next move will reveal whether the conservative movement can move past Trump’

‘JD Vance must outgrow Trump to become president’

Jesse Edwards at Newsweek

Vice President JD Vance can “only become a serious contender for the White House if he figures out how to get out from under Donald Trump without alienating MAGA in the process,” says Jesse Edwards at Newsweek. He must break from Trump and “convincingly argue that he played along to get close to power, fully aware of who Trump was” if he is to be “remotely appealing.” If Vance “makes the turn clean enough and early enough, people will listen.”

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‘I used cannabis daily for 25 years. I support reform — cautiously.’

Adam Levin at USA Today

As the “country reexamines federal cannabis restrictions, a long-overdue conversation about reform is finally underway,” says Adam Levin at USA Today. “Prohibition failed. Criminalization caused real harm,” and cannabis has “legitimate medical uses.” But there is “something missing from much of the celebration: an honest conversation about addiction.” Legal substances such as alcohol are “widely available, yet regulated, researched and accompanied by public-health messaging because access carries risk. Cannabis deserves the same treatment — not stigma, but honesty.”

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‘The winding path to a good Ukraine deal’

The Washington Post editorial board

Amid the repeated ups and downs of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the “thorniest issues” continue to be “punted,” says The Washington Post editorial board. But even if President Donald Trump’s latest “peace push hits another dead end, it’s worth noting what has changed.” The “West now has a clear sense of what a minimally acceptable peace would look like.” There are no guarantees, but the West should “bolster shaky promises with ample provisions for arming Ukraine like a porcupine.”

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‘An anti-AI movement is coming. Which party will lead it?’

Michelle Goldberg at The New York Times

Despite artificial intelligence’s promising future, the “list of things it is ruining is long,” says Michelle Goldberg at The New York Times. It is “true that new technologies often inspire dread,” but A.I. is rightfully alarming to many Americans, and it “divides both parties.” Going into 2026, one major question is “which party will speak for the Americans who abhor the incursions of A.I. into their lives and want to see its reach restricted?”

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