As the American political landscape looks toward a post-Trump future, questions have emerged regarding how J.D. Vance might position himself to lead the Republican Party. Political observers suggest that the transition of power within a populist movement is historically difficult, noting that Donald Trump’s influence is often compared to that of the late Italian media mogul and politician Silvio Berlusconi. Because Berlusconi’s political brand was so deeply tied to his personal persona, his party struggled to maintain its identity after his departure.

To avoid a similar collapse, some analysts propose that Vance should study the trajectory of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Unlike leaders who rely solely on the charisma of a predecessor, Meloni has been credited with professionalizing her party and broadening its appeal while maintaining a nationalist core. The argument is that for Vance to make the party his own, he must transition from being a surrogate for Trump’s specific brand of populism to establishing a more institutionalized political platform that can survive without Trump at the helm. While the comparison to Italian politics is theoretical, it highlights the broader challenge of sustaining a movement built around a singular, dominant personality.