Economic frustration shadowed JD Vance’s Michigan town hall, but the vice president used the event less to concede political weakness than to argue that President Donald Trump’s agenda needs more time to work.

The sharpest contrast came on the economy. Responding to a struggling small-business owner, Vance said the country could not be repaired in one term and that it would take “more than 18 months to fix things and turn them around.” He described the administration as “turning the ship around,” while pointing to future factory investment rather than immediate relief.¹ The formulation acknowledged voters’ impatience but offered no quick remedy—an especially vulnerable position as polls show broad dissatisfaction with inflation and the economy.

On gas prices, Vance shifted blame toward the Biden administration, Iran’s attacks on shipping and damaged refining capacity. He said roughly 20% of U.S. refining capacity had gone offline under Biden and claimed prices would be far higher without U.S. naval protection of commercial routes.² CBS anchor Tony Dokoupil’s pushback underscored the central political problem: Trump and Vance have already been in office for nearly two years.

Vance was similarly defensive on immigration. He conceded that his rhetoric had been “imperfect,” but maintained that his criticism targeted companies exploiting H-1B workers, not immigrants themselves.² He also argued that rapid immigration could erode social cohesion—an argument that contrasts with the naturalized citizen who accused the administration of scapegoating immigrants.

The town hall also doubled as a test of Vance’s broader ambitions. Asked about 2028, he said he would have to make a decision after the midterm elections, preserving uncertainty while reinforcing speculation that he is positioned as a leading Republican successor.³ CBS’s own highlights similarly centered Iran, immigration, corruption and his future plans, suggesting the event’s political significance extended well beyond Michigan.⁴