JD Vance’s Sunday Show Interview Ends Abruptly After Host Cuts Microphone
Vice President JD Vance’s appearances on Sunday morning news programs featured a notably contentious exchange on ABC’s “This Week,” culminating in host George Stephanopoulos cutting Vance’s microphone during a heated discussion regarding border czar Tom Homan.
Confrontation on ‘This Week’
The tense moment occurred after Stephanopoulos pressed Vance on a bribery report surrounding Homan. Vance offered a staunch defense, stating unequivocally that Homan “did not take a bribe.” He suggested that a $50,000 payment Homan may have received from agents in a sting operation could have been for legitimate purposes.
“Is it illegal to take a payment for doing services? The FBI has not prosecuted him. I’ve never seen any evidence that he’s engaged in criminal wrongdoing,” Vance said. He added, “Nobody has accused Tom of committing a crime, even the far-left media like yourself. So I’m actually not sure what the precise question is.”
The interview took a sharp turn when Vance accused Stephanopoulos of venturing down a “weird left-wing rabbit hole.” This prompted the host to end the interview. As Vance continued to speak, Stephanopoulos cut his microphone and transitioned to a commercial, stating, “You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time this morning.” The segment’s host, Stephanopoulos, was previously at the center of a defamation lawsuit involving Donald Trump, which ABC settled for $15 million.
Discussion on ‘Meet the Press’
Earlier in the day, Vance appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” for an interview with host Kristen Welker. Welker questioned Vance about recent social media posts from President Donald Trump which called for the prosecution of political opponents, such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Welker noted reports that Trump’s post was intended as a direct message to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“Is the Department of Justice acting on orders from the president to prosecute his political opponents?” Welker asked.
Vance defended the president’s position, responding, “The president is allowed to have opinions about the law enforcement of the federal government. He is the chief executive officer of the federal government. Him having opinions doesn’t mean that we prosecute people unless we have the legal justification to do so.”
Contrasting Interview Conclusions
Throughout the NBC interview, Welker consistently pushed back on Vance’s defense of National Guard deployments in American cities and the Trump DOJ’s prosecutions. However, their discussion concluded on agreeable terms, a stark contrast to the abrupt termination of his appearance on ABC with Stephanopoulos.
