Vance, Rubio Tout Trump’s Populist Economic Agenda at Think-Tank Gala

While the secretary of state focused on national security, the vice president emphasized everyday Americans.

Vice President JD Vance (R) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio shake hands during the American Compass Fifth Anniversary Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington on June 3, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON—Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio made distinctive cases for President Donald Trump’s populist playbook on trade, reshoring industry, and more.

Rubio, who now also holds other posts in the administration, said that the loss of manufacturing over previous decades undercut American national security, leaving the country vulnerable to supply chains controlled by China and other adversaries.