In a tense exchange during a recent NBC interview, Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance sharply criticized host Kristen Welker, accusing her of attempting to bait him with “gotcha” questions. The segment was focused on the possibility of former President Donald Trump appointing a special prosecutor to investigate President Joe Biden’s actions, a proposal that Vance expressed support for during the interview.
The conversation started when Welker pressed Vance on whether he would back the idea of Trump using the Department of Justice to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his family. This was in response to Trump’s previous comments about investigating his political opponents. Vance responded by stating that he was not opposed to the idea, framing it as a reasonable course of action to ensure accountability and justice.
“Senator, if former President Trump were to win, would you support him appointing a special prosecutor to investigate his political opponents, including the Bidens?” Welker asked pointedly.
Vance quickly countered, expressing his frustration with the media’s reaction to Trump’s call for an investigation. “I find it interesting how much the media and the Democrats have lost their minds over this particular quote,” Vance remarked. He further explained that Trump’s suggestion was simply to investigate potential wrongdoing, similar to the actions taken by the Biden administration over the last few years, which Vance suggested had been more aggressive in using legal tactics against political adversaries.
“The idea that we should investigate the prior administration for misconduct is entirely reasonable,” Vance continued. “If anything, the Biden administration has gone much further in using the legal system to target political opponents. So if you believe that investigating corruption is a threat to democracy, then I think you have to reconsider how the Biden administration has acted over the last several years.”
Vance elaborated by pointing to the House Oversight Committee’s findings, which have raised concerns about potential corruption involving Biden’s family members. According to Vance, these investigations are necessary to determine whether any criminal actions have taken place, though he emphasized that only through investigation can the truth come to light. He argued that any effort to look into these matters should not be dismissed as a political ploy, but rather as a critical part of the justice system.
Welker pressed him for clarity, however, asking: “But Joe Biden didn’t appoint a special prosecutor, the attorney general did. Trump was indicted by grand juries. A jury of his peers in New York found him guilty. So can we just go back to the core question here? Would you support Trump taking such an action?”
Vance didn’t back down, responding strongly, “I would absolutely support investigating prior wrongdoing by our government. That’s what you have to do to maintain a functioning legal system. But let’s be clear, Joe Biden appointed Merrick Garland as attorney general. Garland answers to Biden and can be fired by him. So to suggest that the Biden administration had no role in the prosecution of political opponents is a misunderstanding of how our system of government works.”
The debate then shifted to the prosecution of Trump in New York, with Vance questioning the integrity of the case and pointing out that one of the prosecutors had ties to the Biden administration. He raised concerns that such political connections could undermine the legitimacy of the legal proceedings.
“Kristen, if a senior Justice Department official switched to a local prosecutor’s office to target a political opponent, I don’t think that’s something that has ever happened in American history,” Vance stated. “We shouldn’t accept that kind of politicization of the legal system.”
Welker attempted to steer the discussion back to the broader point, asking why it would be acceptable for Trump to wield the Justice Department in a similar manner, but Vance stood firm in his defense. He concluded by reiterating that Trump’s call for investigations into alleged government misconduct was not a threat to democracy but rather a reaffirmation of the importance of upholding the law.
“All Trump is suggesting is that we investigate credible claims of wrongdoing,” Vance said. “That’s the bedrock of our legal system, and it’s certainly not an attack on democracy. It’s about ensuring that the law applies to everyone, regardless of political affiliation.”