As the ?war in Iran threatens to imperil U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s legacy, the political stakes also are rising for two of his top lieutenants: Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The pair, widely viewed as potential successors to Trump, have been thrust into still-developing negotiations to end the war at a moment when the Republican Party is already weighing its post-Trump future.

Vance has taken a cautious approach, reflecting his skepticism toward prolonged U.S. military involvement, while Rubio has aligned himself closely with Trump¡¯s hawkish stance and emerged as one of the administration¡¯s most vocal defenders of the campaign.