Vice President JD Vance, appearing Tuesday on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭he View鈥� to promote his , was put on the spot from the first question, peppered for nearly an hour on Jeffrey Epstein, the economy, immigration and other issues facing the Trump administration.
The appearance was notable because it marked a rare foray for a Trump administration official into what they would consider hostile media territory, and it raised eyebrows since the Federal Communications Commission under the Trump administration has into the show over possible violations of the requirement that broadcast stations give to political candidates when they appear on-air.
The long-running morning show, led by veterans Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, is generally dominated by its liberal hosts. It combines entertainment and political interviews and often features commentary critical of President Donald Trump.
Vance himself acknowledged the uncomfortable terrain, joking with the hosts at the start of the hour: “This is a show of MAGA Republicans, right? That鈥檚 what my media team told me.鈥�
He did get a few questions about his new book 鈥淐ommunion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” which he described as 鈥渁ctually way less political than you might think.鈥� The to try to bring about an end to the Iran war did not, however, come up.
Vance asked to explain Trump’s remarks on affordability
The show’s hosts almost immediately began questioning Vance about the country’s economic situation, specifically Trump’s comments on affordability and inflation. In both circumstances, Vance turned into somewhat of a Trump translator.
Behar asked about Trump’s dismissal of the affordability issue as a 鈥渉oax鈥� started by Democrats while instead focusing on projects including , building a across the river from Arlington National Cemetery or refashioning the White House South Lawn into a for Trump’s birthday.
鈥淲hy is he doing them when everybody knows that Americans are struggling?” Behar asked. “What is he spending all this money for?鈥�
Vance rejected Behar’s characterization of Trump’s comment. 鈥淲hat the president said is, the idea that Republicans caused the affordability problem is a hoax, and I think that鈥檚 true,鈥� the vice president said.
After co-host Ana Navarro interjected with Trump’s recent statement, 鈥� ,鈥� Vance offered another Trump translation.
鈥淲hat he said is that he loves the fact that the inflation is going to come down when this war is over,鈥� Vance said, eliciting cross talk from the table.
鈥淭hat’s not what he said,鈥� Goldberg responded.
“Are you his interpreter, or are you his vice president?鈥� Behar added.
Vance tried to pivot, talking about increases in manufacturing jobs and other economic improvements.
鈥淢y view 鈥� I鈥檓 sure you guys don鈥檛 agree with it 鈥� is that we inherited a mess and we鈥檙e fixing it, but sometimes it takes a long time to fix a mess,鈥� he said.
Vance acknowledges he’s an Epstein 鈥榗onspiracy theorist鈥�
Vance was questioned at length about the Epstein files, as well as recent reporting from The New York Times that he had been a major advocate for releasing the materials, including during meetings in the White House Situation Room.
鈥淚 am, frankly, kind of a conspiracy theorist on the Epstein stuff,鈥� Vance admitted, acknowledging he agrees with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on that point.
The vice president said he did want to defend his boss on the issue, referring to Navarro and others’ assertions that Trump ejected Epstein from membership in his private club because of a business deal gone wrong and not Epstein’s nefarious sexual proclivities.
鈥淗e was very frustrated when the Democrats were making this about him,鈥� Vance added of Trump and the fractious political conversation over the files’ release and their content.
Pressed repeatedly by co-host Sunny Hostin over other matters related to the files, including millions that have yet to be released, Vance said there are many duplicates, as well as others over whose release a court would need to rule, but that 鈥渨e’re not holding anything back.鈥�
After promising Hostin he’d check on some files that remain unreleased, Vance playfully suggested a return to the purported show agenda when Goldberg shifted to another commercial break.
“Let’s talk about the book. I鈥檓 here to sell books. 鈥楥ommunion!鈥欌�� he said.
鈥淓ventually, we will,” Goldberg said. “But this is a good opportunity for us to get some clarity.鈥�
Vance also dove into Trump’s signature issue: immigration
The conversation shifted to Trump’s signature issue as Vance explained the evolution of his relationship to the president, whom he once criticized and about whom he now says he 鈥� and others, chronicling Trump’s political rise 鈥� got some things wrong.
鈥淥ne of the things I underappreciated about Donald Trump is that so many of the things that people said about him weren鈥檛 actually true,鈥� Vance said. 鈥淚 read stories that said, 鈥楧onald Trump said that all Mexicans were rapists鈥� 鈥� he never said that.”
After several hosts queried how Vance as both a Christian and father would explain Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and urged him to visit detention centers, Vance acknowledged the need to 鈥渟trike a balance, of course,鈥� between enforcing laws and treating people appropriately.
鈥淟aw enforcement is always inherently not a very pretty process, especially when you鈥檙e dealing sometimes with violent people, with people who are resisting arrest,” he allowed.
As the show began to wrap up, Goldberg aimed to try to tie in the book, asking Vance about rationalizing his Catholic faith with a hard-line stance on immigration.
鈥淚 think it strikes the right balance here,鈥� Vance said of Catholicism, that 鈥測ou can have borders, you鈥檙e allowed to enforce your borders … but you also have to take certain precautions and certain care.鈥�
Hosts asked Vance about administration’s stance on race
Some of the most impassioned moments of the show were when the hosts questioned Vance about some of the administration’s moves when it comes to race.
鈥淲hat did Black people do to this administration that has allowed it to really stigmatize folks of color?鈥� Goldberg asked. Some audience members reacted negatively as Vance asked for more information.
When Vance responded that the question suggested that “allegedly the administration is holding back the appointments of people based on skin color,鈥� Hostin jumped in with a correction.
鈥淚鈥檓 talking about Black history getting erased from public spaces, Black voter districts are being dismantled, Black leaders are being sidelined from our ranks,鈥� she said. 鈥淲here do Americans of color fit in this vision? Because it doesn鈥檛 seem like we fit.鈥�
Saying that 鈥渆verybody is welcome in our political coalition,鈥� Vance pointed toward the administration鈥檚 efforts to increase safety in Washington, D.C., a heavily Black city, adding, 鈥淏lack history is not erased.鈥�
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Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at
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