JD Vance on the Morality of the Trump Administration | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

“If you think this is a bad deal, what is your alternative?” Critics of JD Vance think that his key role in the Iran negotiations may end up being an albatross around his neck. (“If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” President Trump said in France this week.) But in our conversation, the vice president seemed buoyant and eager to play the salesman, insisting that the deal is better than the pact President Barack Obama sealed in 2015. I asked him about his initial opposition to the war, his conflict with the pope and whether his political future is riding on the success of the Iran agreement. We also discussed Vance’s new book, “Communion,” about the vice president’s return to faith, and whether or not the Trump administration’s policies embody Christian values. 01:06 - The implications of the US - Iran Peace deal 07:04 - Will Iran's internal politics transform? 17:30 - The U.S. - Israel Relationship 22:19 - Vance's Protestant Christian upbringing 28:22 - From non-believer to rediscovering faith 35:18 - Christianity in Vance's life and in the Trump administration 47:07 - Tensions with Pope Francis 54:10 - The future of the Iran deal and a message to Republican critics Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Read the full transcript here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/opinion/jd-vance-iran-trump-communion.html Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.