VP Vance leads first White House press briefing since Karoline Leavitt's departure

[0:00] like Lee Zeldin. And there we go. Vice President J.D. Vance walking in now. [0:04] All right. Good morning, everybody. It's good afternoon now. Good to see you guys. So [0:08] let me give a few updates on a few things that really matter to the administration that we're [0:11] very proud of. So first of all, you probably saw the announcement earlier in Michigan, [0:17] earlier this week in Michigan, that we have taken over 2,000 fraudulent CDL mills out of business, [0:22] which makes America's roads safer and also protects the jobs of American truckers. And so [0:27] if you're an American trucker wondering why it is that the last administration facilitated illegal [0:32] aliens driving semi trucks on our roads, or if you're an American who just shares a road with [0:37] somebody who isn't properly qualified, we've made the roads safer. We've seen trucker wages go up by [0:42] 7.5 percent. And that effort was obviously led by our anti-fraud task force because so many of these [0:47] people were engaged in effectively fraudulent driving. They were getting these diplomas, [0:53] these CDLs through fraudulent means. We stopped that. We're very proud of it. And I want to give [0:58] a special shout out to Secretary Sean Duffy at the Transportation Department for helping us in [1:02] facilitating that work. And it goes into our broader effort, which is we're trying to make sure that your [1:07] tax dollars and basic institutional trust is protected by your government. Whether it's a guy who [1:14] gets a commercial driver's license to drive on the road, or whether it's a person applying for [1:18] Medicaid or Medicare benefits, the people who get these things should be legally entitled and should [1:24] qualify. And for too long, we had a government that basically just gave out your money, the American [1:29] taxpayer's money, to people who didn't qualify for it. We've put a stop to that, having found, I think, [1:35] north of $200 billion in fraud. And we're going to keep, of course, working on that in the months and [1:40] years to come. The second thing I want to talk about a little bit is the Venezuela oil deal, which I know some [1:45] of you will have questions on. But I think it's just an amazing testament to what a smart foreign [1:50] policy could look like and how it feeds back in to good outcomes for the American people. So as a lot [1:55] of you know, and I think even some of the more liberal outlets in here had talked about, we had [2:01] for a very long time the Biden administration draining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve purely for [2:06] the purpose of lowering gas and oil costs. There wasn't an international crisis. There wasn't, you know, [2:11] a foreign nation that was trying to disrupt world energy markets. There was just an administration [2:16] that was trying to juice gas prices for the midterms. And what that meant is for Americans, [2:21] our Strategic Petroleum Reserve under the administration got extraordinarily low. Well, [2:25] now we're using, of course, the successful Venezuela operation and some of the friendships and some of the [2:31] relationships that have developed in the wake of that operation to create what is effectively a new [2:37] 65 billion barrel of oil reserve for the United States of America. And the way that that's going [2:43] to work is that private companies, American companies can go in there, generate a lot of oil [2:47] revenue. Obviously, that's going to mean world oil markets get only more supplied. That will lower [2:52] costs for Americans. That means a lot of revenue is going to go to the people of Venezuela. But also, [2:57] thanks to the deal struck by Marco and Pete Hegseth and others in the administration, [3:01] it actually sets us up to where the American people will directly receive some of the royalties as [3:06] well. So it's good for Venezuelans. It's good for anybody who's buying gas, and it's good for the [3:11] American taxpayer as well. So it's very much a win-win thing. We're very proud of it. And I also just [3:16] think that it gives supply stability in the energy market. I think if we've learned anything over the [3:21] last six months, but importantly, if we've learned anything over the last 40 years, it's that these things, [3:27] the supply of critical minerals and resources really matters. We had an administration for a [3:32] very long time that under-invested in this stuff, and now we're trying to change that, [3:36] and we're doing so quite successfully. A couple of other final points. So for all the kids at home [3:45] and their parents, importantly, today is, or I believe tomorrow, is the last day of the Second [3:51] Lady's Summer Reading Challenge. So let me give a little plug for the Second Lady, who I think has done an [3:55] amazing job, and we've had an amazing outpouring of support, but you've got to return your Summer [4:00] Reading Challenge stuff in by tomorrow. You can go to whitehouse.gov in order to do that. And as a, [4:06] just on a personal note, obviously, Usha's been very busy this summer. We now have a six-week-old baby [4:10] who is happy and healthy. So honey, I love you. I'm very proud of you. And amazingly, you keep, [4:16] you keep everything together despite the chaos and despite the craziness. And speaking of chaos and [4:23] craziness, I will now take questions from all of you. Let me start here with Nick, who I believe [4:29] is in the new media chair. Nick, what do you got for me? Thanks, Mr. Vice President. Today is the [4:33] first White House press briefing since the departure of the great Caroline Levitt. A key part of her [4:38] legacy, the defining part, was bringing more voices, not less, into this room. And that's something our [4:43] founder, Andrew Breitbart, certainly believed in. From the first briefing, she, you know, added this seat, [4:48] the new media seat that I'm in today. What does the president, what to you, and what does the White [4:53] House plan to do to continue that legacy and to empower new media? Sure. So before I answer that [4:58] question, let me just say a word about Caroline Levitt, who is an amazing person, an amazing mom, [5:03] was an amazing colleague here at the White House, and was not just a person who stood up here and [5:07] answered your questions, and I think did so admirably, but was also just an amazing part of the very [5:13] cohesive team that we had working here in the West Wing. Just an amazing person. She texted me this [5:18] morning and wished me good luck, because obviously going up against all of you is a very, very dangerous [5:23] business, but she's going to do great in whatever she does next, and we're very grateful to her. So [5:29] Caroline, if you're watching, which hopefully you're not, but if you're watching, thank you for [5:33] your service, thank you for your friendship, and thanks for doing a great job. And yes, one of her [5:37] legacies, one of her many legacies, I would say, is that she opened up this room to non-legacy [5:43] media. And why does that matter? I mean, if you look at one of the biggest transformations that have [5:48] existed in this country over the last 20 or 30 years, it's the rise of digital technology. Now, [5:52] that means a lot of different things for a lot of different people, but for this industry, what it's [5:56] meant is that a lot of people have been able to get access to information, have been able to get [6:02] access to telling stories to the American people, not because they have a credential or not because they have a [6:07] connection, but because they have something interesting to say. And I would certainly put you [6:10] in that category, Nick, and obviously our friends at Breitbart. But for too long, this room, and I think this [6:17] city have tried to lock out non-legacy media. They've seen it as a threat to themselves, and we actually [6:23] think that it's an amazing way to democratize access to information. You should not have to have a fancy [6:29] credential or a lot of money to tell a story to the American people. And if you think of, like, the heart of the [6:33] First Amendment is that all of us are allowed to speak. But if only some people are actually given a microphone, if [6:39] only some media outlets are actually given access, then it strikes not just to the heart of your ability to tell a [6:44] story, it actually makes it harder for people to get access to their First Amendment rights. And, you know, with all due [6:51] respect to all the people in this room, there were a lot of Americans who felt like they were not properly [6:56] represented by the information that was on the airwaves of the traditional media. So we're going to stay committed to that [7:01] legacy. We're going to build on that legacy. And I think that you and a lot of other new media types [7:05] should certainly expect to have a lot of access in the months and years to come, just as the [7:12] traditional media does. And I do think, you know, not to brag on my boss too much, but I do think the [7:18] president has set us about to be the most transparent administration in history. And we have done that [7:24] with flying colors. If you just look back to the last administration, I mean, even the Democrats in the [7:30] room, and I know you guys, if you're being honest, most of you are Democrats, you would have to admit [7:33] that the level of access, the level of access to the president of the United States, the vice [7:38] president, the senior team here, it's just completely off the charts. Now, why does the [7:42] president do that? He doesn't do it just because, you know, he wants to or it's fun, though I think he [7:47] definitely has a little bit of fun with it. He does it because he believes that part of governing a [7:52] constitutional republic is to make yourselves accessible to the American people. So we do that. And we're going to do [7:58] that with nontraditional media. We'll continue to do it with traditional media. And that will certainly be a big part [8:02] of our approach as we continue to govern the country and I think govern it well. Great. Peter. [8:08] Are we talking to you as the vice president or the press secretary? [8:11] So I'm not Marco. I have not yet accepted any additional jobs, though I guess the fraud task force is my [8:18] co-chair, is my second additional job. It's funny, before I came out here, I was talking with the president in the Oval Office, [8:24] and he said, he said, be careful. I want you to do well, but if you do too well, I might make you the press secretary. [8:30] So I've got to screw up a little bit because I'm busy enough as it is, but I'm very much up here as the vice president of the United States. [8:36] I do have a political one and then something a little bit more upbeat. [8:39] Okay. [8:39] First, politics could be up deep. It could be upbeat. Peter? [8:45] It's almost Labor Day. Labor Day is traditionally the real kickoff for campaign season. [8:51] Midterm voters are looking for somebody to blame for high prices on things like gas, energy. [8:58] Why shouldn't they blame Republicans? [9:01] Well, I'd say a few things. First of all, if you look at how endemic inflation became during the Biden administration, [9:08] and this is not to cast blame because I don't really care who's to blame for it. [9:12] I care about how to fix it, and that's what we've been working to do. [9:15] So inflation under the last administration hit a record high of about 9.5%. [9:20] And it's funny, during the 2024 campaign, the president and I would say, [9:24] this is the highest inflation in American history. [9:26] And people would come back and say, no, no, no, it's not the highest inflation in American history. [9:30] It's just the highest inflation in the last 60 or the last 48 years. [9:33] It's like, well, that's still very, very bad. [9:35] So what happened with that is that when prices get baked in like that, [9:39] it takes a little bit of time for us to undo some of the damage. [9:43] Now, you know, we have done a lot of things in order to build upon the great success of the first Trump administration [9:50] and deliver wins for working people. [9:53] No taxes on Social Security. No taxes on tips. No taxes on overtime. [9:57] We've seen $19 trillion of new investment come into the country. [10:00] But most of that is building new factories and new facilities. [10:04] Those factories are being built. [10:05] So if you're a construction worker, that's great. [10:07] And obviously, we love our construction workers. [10:09] However, it takes time to build those factories and employ the rest of the workers. [10:13] And then, of course, to make the stuff that's going to be made at those factories. [10:16] So I guess my point is that because America's inflation problem wasn't created in a day, [10:21] it was created by very bad policies of the Biden administration, [10:25] trillions of dollars of new spending that was going more to fraudsters than it was to the American people. [10:29] It takes a little bit of time to rebuild the foundation of America's middle-class economy. [10:34] I think we've made incredible strides. [10:36] But our argument to the American people is, look, it's very simple. [10:40] You don't even have to listen to what we say. [10:42] Listen to what the Democrats have said. [10:44] If you think that inflation is a problem, if you think affordability is a problem, [10:48] number one, we're doing everything that we can to bring down prices. [10:52] But what do the Democrats say? [10:53] They say that they want to undo taxes. [10:55] They want to increase taxes on Social Security and tips. [10:58] If you're worried about affordability, [11:00] how is the Democrats' tax increase going to make your life more affordable? [11:03] One of the things I'm most proud of that the president has done is Trump Rx. [11:08] If you look, we have almost 800 medications now that are part of Trump Rx, [11:12] the most significant reduction in prescription drug costs that we've seen in 60 years. [11:16] And again, that's going to accelerate as this program actually gets implemented. [11:20] The Democrats did nothing. [11:22] So while they're out there bragging that they're going to reverse the very policies [11:27] that are making some of these prescription drugs more affordable, [11:29] we're saying we're going to double down on the policies that are going to make prescription drugs more affordable. [11:34] So I think if you just listen to what the Democrats are saying, [11:37] what they're telling you is that every inflation problem that you're worried about today, [11:43] they're going to make worse and they're going to undo our very good efforts [11:46] to try to bring down the inflation and to make that reduction in inflation sustainable. [11:51] And I did just want to ask you, there have been reports about this, [11:54] but I've not heard you talk much about it. [11:56] You have lost a ton of weight lately. [11:58] How much sauerkraut do you eat in a day? [12:01] Oh, my Lord. [12:02] Okay. [12:03] So when you're the vice president of the United States [12:05] and one of the first questions at a press conference in the White House [12:08] is how much weight you've lost, you must have gotten very fat. [12:10] That's one thing that I take from that question. [12:13] So I'll tell you a little story, Peter. [12:15] So every Lent, I try to like, you know, I'm a devout Christian. [12:20] I try to take it very seriously. [12:21] So I try to do some kind of self-denial. [12:24] And so I was talking to my wife on Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, [12:28] and I was like, I think I'm going to give up sugar [12:30] and I think I'm going to give up social media. [12:32] Okay. [12:32] So if I wanted to tweet something, I'd tell these guys to tweet something for me [12:35] and I'd, you know, otherwise try to stay off social media. [12:39] So I call Bobby Kennedy and I'm like, I know you're really into health. [12:43] I'm thinking about giving up sugar. [12:44] What do you think? [12:45] And Bobby Kennedy says, no, no, no, no. [12:47] I've got something that's way better than that and way more intense. [12:51] And basically it's like, yeah, I eat a lot of high-protein stuff [12:54] and I eat a lot of sauerkraut. [12:55] And let's just say that if that was Fat Tuesday, Fat Wednesday never came. [12:59] So my advice to you is that if you want to lose weight, call Bobby Kennedy. [13:04] And if you want to enjoy what you eat, do not call Bobby Kennedy. [13:09] What's up, man? [13:10] Thank you, Mr. Vice President. [13:12] On July 2nd, Treasury Secretary's best sent was asked when Americans could see $3 gas again. [13:19] And he said maybe by Labor Day. [13:22] Things haven't worked out that way. [13:23] But do you have a new timetable for Americans on when they could expect lower gas prices? [13:28] And should they not expect to see $3 gas again until at least 2027? [13:32] Well, in defense of Scott, he said maybe by Labor Day [13:36] because we're talking about things that are inherently unpredictable. [13:39] And I think it's important. [13:40] You know, I'm a strong believer that the American people are our fellow citizens [13:44] and we should speak with them honestly about these things. [13:46] And the fundamental reality is that the reason gas prices are so high right now [13:52] is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping. [13:55] Even, by the way, when they signed an agreement that said, [13:58] we're going to stop shooting at commercial shipping, [13:59] they almost immediately went back to shooting at commercial shipping. [14:03] And I actually think that this drives home a couple of points. [14:06] Number one, it's why things like the Venezuela oil deal are so important [14:09] is because we've learned that we can't be over-reliant on anybody [14:14] for the world's supply of energy and gas. [14:16] It's one of the reasons why the president has pursued an energy dominance agenda [14:20] because, yes, gas prices are higher in the United States. [14:23] They're way worse everywhere else in the world [14:26] because of what the president did, particularly during the first administration, [14:30] to make us more energy dominant. [14:32] I also think it drives home, frankly, the ridiculous atrophy [14:37] that we saw in our European allies [14:41] and their inability to actually do anything to help keep world energy markets supplied. [14:46] So when the Iranians shoot at commercial shipping, [14:48] obviously that means some ships don't want to go through. [14:51] A lot of ships have gone through. [14:52] We got about 15 million barrels out of the Strait of Hormuz just yesterday, [14:56] despite the fact that the Iranians continue to ship [14:58] or continue to shoot, I should say. [15:00] What has anybody in the world done? [15:02] Why is it incumbent upon the United States of America [15:05] to be the only country in the world [15:07] that can actually ensure world energy markets continue to stay supplied? [15:12] And the answer is because we're the only country [15:14] that has the capability of doing it. [15:16] And so what the president has said is we really have two options here. [15:19] We could leave and the entire world would be way worse off [15:24] because there would be no guaranteed access to oil and gas. [15:28] By the way, the Gulf Arab countries are telling us [15:30] that would be the worst thing in the world. [15:32] Or we can accept the Iranians are going to shoot at ships like crazy people [15:36] and we're going to do what we have to do [15:38] in order to ensure that their efforts don't lead to a worldwide energy crisis. [15:42] Now, we've been quite successful up to this point. [15:44] Gas, frankly, could have been much, much higher were it not for our efforts. [15:49] But I'm not going to make a promise about when it's going to return to $3. [15:52] What I will say is that we have to remember, why are we doing this? [15:56] Number one, it's so that Iran never has a nuclear weapon. [16:00] And number two, what we're doing right now is protecting commercial shipping [16:04] in order to ensure that we don't have a worldwide energy crisis. [16:07] The only reason, the only reason we do not have a worldwide energy crisis [16:11] is because of the leadership of the president, [16:13] but also because of the fine work of our military from Pete Hexeth on down. [16:17] But the Iranians are doing what the Iranians do. [16:20] I think that they're losing their capabilities by the day. [16:24] I think they're realizing, by the way, [16:26] that their control over the Strait of Hormuz is effectively gone [16:29] and it's a diminishing asset. [16:32] So if you go back three months ago, [16:34] how much oil and gas was coming out of the strait under Iranian threats? [16:37] It was virtually nothing. [16:39] Now it's almost back to where it was before the conflict even started. [16:43] So my advice to the Iranians is stop acting like crazy people [16:46] and stop shooting at commercial shipping. [16:49] And in the meantime, we've got to do what we've got to do [16:52] despite what a foreign country is going to do in the Strait of Hormuz. [16:55] And the Iranians say that an attack on a wedding celebration earlier this week [17:00] killed several people, injured dozens of others. [17:02] I know CENTCOM says it's investigating, [17:04] but have you been briefed on that attack? [17:06] And was the U.S. responsible? [17:07] So I've been briefed to the extent that I know that we're investigating. [17:10] I've seen the same public media reports everywhere else. [17:13] I will say that the Iranian state media [17:17] has not been a very good scribe about what's happened in the conflict thus far. [17:22] So I'm extremely skeptical of this. [17:24] What I can say with 100% confidence is that unlike the IRGC, [17:28] the United States never targets civilians in combat. [17:32] We never will do that. [17:33] We never have done that. [17:34] And unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen. [17:38] But in this particular case, [17:39] I don't think that we have any information one way or the other. [17:42] We're investigating it because obviously we care. [17:44] We want to know. [17:45] And if we do make mistakes, again, [17:47] this is a big difference between us and Iran. [17:49] When our military makes mistakes, [17:50] they learn from them to try to get better from them. [17:52] So we're investigating it very fully. [17:54] Mr. Vice President. [17:55] Thank you, Mr. Vice President. [17:56] Do you share any of the concerns of Secretary Driscoll [18:01] and several Republican lawmakers about the current state of the Army, [18:06] specifically about the departure of so many generals and other top officials? [18:11] Well, first of all, look, Dan is obviously a very good friend of mine. [18:13] I think he was a great Secretary of the Army. [18:15] Pete is also a very good friend of mine. [18:17] And I think he's an amazing Secretary of War. [18:18] And, you know, fundamentally, where I look, [18:23] there are a lot of issues where I agree with Pete on. [18:25] The issue where I'm in the most strident agreement with Pete [18:29] is that we needed to have a culture shift at the Department of War. [18:32] We have to ask ourselves some very difficult questions, [18:35] and it has nothing to do, I want to be clear, [18:37] this has nothing to do with the amazing troops that we have, [18:40] the amazing military officers, non-commissioned officers, [18:43] and enlisted personnel that we have. [18:44] But America has fought a lot of wars since I've been alive, 42 years. [18:49] And we have won almost none of them [18:52] until Donald J. Trump became the President of the United States. [18:55] What does that say about the culture of military leadership, [18:58] the way that we did planning? [18:59] And what does it also say, frankly, about the political leadership [19:02] that we've had in the White House, at the Department of War, [19:06] for 40 years of, frankly, military misadventures? [19:09] What Pete came in wanting to do was revive the warrior spirit [19:14] in the United States of America. [19:15] And I think you see evidence of that happening in a lot of different ways. [19:19] Two important ways is, number one, we have recruitment at all-time highs. [19:23] We had real recruitment problems under the Biden administration [19:25] because people didn't want to join a woke military. [19:28] And what I mean is they didn't want to join any military [19:31] that was geared towards a particular political narrative. [19:35] They just wanted to join a military that was willing to defend America's interests [19:39] and do so at the very highest levels of professionalism and excellence. [19:43] That is what the military under President Trump's leadership is geared towards doing. [19:47] The second way that I judge just that esprit de corps, [19:50] that warrior spirit that you see at the Pentagon, [19:52] is when you go out and talk to troops today, [19:55] they talk about how much better it is, how much prouder they are, [19:59] how much more they feel supported from Washington [20:01] as opposed to, frankly, oppressed by Washington. [20:04] We're trying to bring the best and the brightest into the United States military [20:07] and support them in every way that we can. [20:09] If you recall, under the Biden administration, guys were getting fired [20:13] because they were making their own health care decisions [20:16] and the Biden administration was treating them like they were convicted criminals. [20:20] We're not doing that. [20:21] We're taking things in a much different direction. [20:22] So I feel like the military is in a much better place than it was 18 months ago. [20:27] Of course, there's a lot of work still to do. [20:29] And of course, some of that work is going to take years [20:31] because, frankly, the rot got so deep under previous failed administrations. [20:39] Sorry, I'm always confused a little bit by the chaos here. [20:43] And unfortunately, I'm old and blind now. [20:45] But let's go to Carrie Pickett. [20:50] Carlson has called for the president's impeachment [20:53] and many accuse him of trying to jeopardize U.S. digital relations. [20:56] What do you say to those who are uneasy with your close relationship with Carlson [21:01] and claim that you're avoiding addressing a lot of these issues [21:04] which may be causing divisions within the GOP? [21:07] Well, look, I'm not avoiding addressing anything. [21:09] Everybody knows that Tucker Carlson and I are friends. [21:11] And I think it's very obvious that Tucker has said some things that I disagree with. [21:15] He said some things about the president of the United States that I think are just wrong. [21:18] I think yesterday somebody sent me a clip that said that he would support El Syed over Rogers. [21:24] I think El Syed is a crazy person. [21:26] And I think whatever your views on Mike Rogers' specific policy prescriptions, [21:30] I'd like to have a non-crazy person like Mike Rogers [21:32] representing Michigan and the United States Senate [21:35] rather than a crazy person like El Syed. [21:37] That said, my attitude towards this, and I try to practice what I preach. [21:43] And I remember when I became the vice presidential nominee, [21:46] one of the hardest things for me personally is not when people attacked me, [21:51] but when people attacked my wife, including friends of hers who knew her heart, [21:56] who knew what a good person she was. [21:58] And I remember thinking to myself, what a travesty it is [22:02] that in the United States of America, we let political disagreements [22:05] define who our friends are going to be and not going to be. [22:09] So, yeah, Tucker is a friend of mine. [22:10] Tucker is a friend despite the fact that we disagree on a number of things. [22:14] And I'm not going to play the game where I throw friends under the bus [22:18] because I have political disagreements with them. [22:20] I think that is a terrible place for the United States to go. [22:23] And if you have a disagreement with somebody politically, [22:25] even over a deeply held issue, you should still be friends with that person [22:29] because the whole republic depends on people of different perspectives [22:33] being able to talk to one another. [22:35] That's how I try to live my life, and I encourage everybody else to do the same. [22:38] All right. Let's go to – well, the problem is – okay, here's the thing. [22:50] You guys can see the list here. [22:52] It doesn't – you know, you can take your zoom-up lens here. [22:55] It doesn't – nobody's even circled. [22:58] Nobody's even circled. [22:58] If Carolyn Leavitt was still here, she would have told me who to call upon. [23:02] But clearly that hasn't happened here. [23:04] I am going to go – I'm going to go to Nick Popley from Time. [23:08] Thank you. [23:09] President Trump asked on social media, [23:11] when are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight? [23:15] Is the administration considering either arming or giving [23:18] other direct support for Iranian dissidents? [23:22] Wasn't it Peter Doocy asked this question this morning on Fox News? [23:25] It's a great question. [23:26] And what the president said is exactly what I'm going to say, [23:29] which is, of course, I'm not going to talk about that. [23:32] There are a lot of things that we're doing, [23:34] a lot of things that we're doing, of course, [23:36] to try to apply pressure on the Iranians, [23:38] to get them to stop shooting at commercial shipping, [23:41] accepting that they're still going to try to shoot at commercial shipping. [23:44] Obviously, we're protecting a lot of ships, [23:46] which is why we have not had a worldwide energy crisis. [23:48] I can't repeat this enough. [23:50] But for the leadership of President Trump and the hard work of our troops, [23:53] we would have had an energy crisis [23:55] because the Iranians refused to stop acting like terrorists [23:58] in the Strait of Hormuz. [23:59] Now, that said, there are a lot of, of course, [24:01] additional tools that we have at our disposal. [24:03] Some of those the president will use and some of them he won't. [24:06] But I'm not going to advertise exactly how we're going to engage [24:10] with the Iranians in the months and years to come [24:13] because it, frankly, would take away the president's decision space. [24:17] But everything that could happen is on the table. [24:22] Economic pressure, military pressure, diplomatic pressure, covert pressure. [24:26] Of course, these are things, these are tools in the president's toolkit. [24:29] But part of the reason there are tools in the toolkit [24:31] is because the vice president, hopefully, [24:33] is not dumb enough to stand up before, you know, [24:36] all of you and a million Americans watching at home [24:38] and say exactly what it is that we plan on doing. [24:41] Okay. [24:42] All right. [24:43] I'm going to go to Emily Gooden or Goodwin. [24:46] Hi. [24:47] Thank you, Mr. Vice President. [24:47] Is it Gooden? [24:48] Yep, it is. [24:48] Well done. [24:49] I wanted to ask you, why are you going to New York on 9-11 [24:52] instead of the president? [24:54] Because it's the 25th anniversary, [24:55] is there some special security concern? [24:57] We know the president's been a target before. [25:00] No, I don't think it's a special security concern, [25:02] though actually I will follow up with Secret Service [25:04] just to get you an actual answer on that, [25:06] but that's not what I've heard. [25:07] I mean, you know, you have a vice president, [25:09] you have a president, and there are two very, frankly, [25:12] we'd like to be three or four places on 9-11, [25:14] but you can't have one person be in multiple locations [25:17] at the exact same time. [25:19] And so we just decided as a team [25:20] that I would go to New York for 9-11, [25:22] and the president would stay here in D.C., of course, [25:24] to commemorate what happened at the Pentagon, [25:26] because that was a critical part [25:27] of the tragedy of 9-11 as well. [25:29] I will say that as much as it's tragic [25:32] and it was a terrible day, [25:34] I am looking forward to it [25:36] because it's such an amazing honor [25:37] to be able to go to New York [25:39] and to share in that moment, you know, [25:41] where the parents and the kids read the names [25:45] of the people who lost their lives. [25:47] I did it once before, I think, during the 2024 campaign. [25:49] It's one of the most amazing experiences of my life, [25:52] and I encourage every American, [25:54] particularly the people who are young enough [25:56] to not really remember that day, [25:58] just to tune in for a couple of hours [26:00] and see what it meant. [26:01] And I think that sense of commonality [26:03] and common purpose that we all had on 9-11, [26:06] that's something that we should really try [26:08] every single day to get back to. [26:09] And if even just for a day, even if just for a few hours, [26:12] I would encourage people to tune in. [26:14] I'm also, as you guys can probably guess, [26:16] I'm really looking forward to hanging out with Joe Biden. [26:18] I'm sure that we'll have many, many intense [26:21] intellectual conversations, and, you know, it'll be great. [26:25] We'll have a great time with Joe Biden [26:26] and the other president. [26:28] Go ahead. [26:28] Mr. Vice President, thank you. [26:31] A minute ago, you said that there is not [26:33] a global energy crisis [26:35] because U.S. is helping commercial ships. [26:37] Given that you don't have diplomatic talks [26:41] with the Iranians to make them stop [26:43] shooting commercial ships, [26:45] are we talking about an indefinite naval blockade? [26:48] Isn't that costly [26:50] and hampers U.S. readiness elsewhere? [26:54] And how will the president declare an end to the war [26:58] if the U.S. naval blockade is still in place? [27:01] Thank you. [27:01] Well, first of all, the phrase an end to the war, [27:05] I want to push back on that just a little bit [27:06] because major combat operations [27:08] are currently not ongoing, [27:10] and they haven't been ongoing in a very long time. [27:12] In fact, what we did just a couple of days ago [27:14] is that we made it harder for the Iranians [27:16] to shoot at commercial shipping, again, [27:18] in order to ensure the flow of oil and gas [27:20] into world energy markets. [27:22] So, you know, we have, again, [27:23] a lot of tools at our disposal, [27:25] but what we're talking about here [27:27] is trying to maintain some basic balance [27:33] in these world energy markets. [27:34] Now, you ask about these things, [27:36] don't they cost a lot, et cetera, et cetera? [27:38] Well, look, the alternative, I think, costs a lot more, [27:41] which is what the Gulf Arab countries [27:43] have begged us not to do [27:44] and what a number of other countries [27:47] have begged us not to do, [27:48] including those in Europe [27:49] who will publicly criticize us on the one hand, [27:52] but then privately acknowledge [27:53] that if we weren't doing what we were doing, [27:55] nobody else in the world could do it. [27:57] We are the only country in the world [28:00] that can ensure, as you heard the president say, [28:03] the control over the Strait of Hormuz. [28:05] The Iranians would like zero million barrels [28:07] to come out of the Strait of Hormuz. [28:09] Last night, 15 million barrels [28:11] came out of the Strait of Hormuz. [28:13] That's because of the United States of America. [28:15] And if we don't do it, nobody else would do it. [28:18] And if nobody else did it, [28:19] we would have a catastrophic world energy crisis. [28:23] And our message to the Iranians is simple. [28:25] It's been the same from the very beginning, [28:27] is you've got to stop shooting at commercial shipping. [28:32] They've got to stop. [28:33] It's that simple. [28:34] And to your point about negotiations, [28:35] the president's been very clear, [28:36] we're not talking to them. [28:37] And we're not going to talk to them [28:39] unless they stop shooting at commercial shipping. [28:44] That's, I think. [28:45] Darren? [28:46] Go ahead. [28:47] Thank you, Mr. Vice President. [28:49] So, President Trump, you posted on Truth Social, [28:51] let data reign. [28:52] But there's a Fox News poll [28:54] with 70% of respondents, [28:56] voters, saying that they do not want [28:58] a data center in their area. [29:00] So, how do you bridge the disconnect there [29:02] before the midterms in about two months? [29:04] And also, second part of the question, [29:06] if Democrats do take control of Congress, [29:08] then do we lose the AI race to China? [29:11] Well, look, I think there's a very good chance [29:13] that if the Democrats take control of Congress, [29:15] we will lose the AI race to China, [29:16] but we'll also lose a lot else. [29:18] You will see higher energy prices. [29:19] The Democrats have promised [29:20] that they will raise taxes on working Americans. [29:23] The Democrats have promised [29:24] that everything that we've done [29:26] to protect American industry [29:27] and rebuild American manufacturing, [29:29] that stops as soon as the Democrats [29:31] have real political power in this country. [29:33] There's a lot that would go wrong [29:34] if the Democrats take control of the House [29:37] or the Senate or, God forbid, both. [29:39] But let me just say, [29:40] on the data center question, [29:42] you asked how do you split the difference [29:43] or how do you bridge the gap? [29:44] Or I forget exactly how you phrased it, [29:46] but look, man, the simple answer is [29:49] the way that you bridge the gap [29:50] is by following the president [29:52] of the United States' lead. [29:53] What was the most important thing [29:55] that we've done on data centers? [29:57] He, excuse me, came out and said, [29:59] we have to have ratepayer protection. [30:02] If you're going to build a data center, [30:03] you have to feed power back into the grid [30:06] as opposed to taking power out. [30:08] I'm a strong believer, [30:09] and I've seen the same polls [30:10] that you're talking about, [30:11] that the political backlash over data centers, [30:14] a very large chunk of it, [30:16] not all of it, of course, [30:17] but a very large chunk of it [30:18] is that people associate data centers [30:21] with my neighborhood's going to get worse. [30:23] In particular, my power bills [30:25] are going to go up. [30:26] The way to bridge that gap [30:27] is for people to do [30:29] what the president of the United States [30:30] has enabled. [30:31] He's made it easier [30:32] to build a nuclear power plant [30:33] or any other power plant [30:35] next to a data center. [30:36] He's made it easier [30:37] for people to put power [30:39] back into the grid [30:39] as opposed to take it out. [30:41] And there's a broader and deeper issue, [30:43] I think, that's much bigger [30:44] than data centers. [30:46] And it's the United States, [30:47] what the president [30:47] is really trying to train, [30:49] frankly, American industry to do [30:51] is to build again. [30:53] We cannot be a country [30:54] that says, [30:55] we're not going to build more power. [30:57] We're not going to build more rockets. [30:58] We're not going to do anything [31:00] because the regulations [31:01] or the cost or the risk [31:03] are just too high. [31:04] There's a chart [31:05] that I'm obsessed with. [31:07] And it looks at [31:08] the amount of energy [31:09] generated by the PRC, [31:10] the People's Republic of China, [31:12] the amount of power generated [31:13] by the United States of America. [31:15] If you look at that chart, [31:17] in about, I want to say, [31:18] 2005, [31:20] is when China [31:21] finally started producing [31:22] the same amount of power [31:23] as the United States of America. [31:25] That was, [31:25] before that, [31:26] they produced way less, [31:27] they caught up to us, [31:28] and then they passed us. [31:29] And today, [31:29] China produces [31:30] three times as much power [31:32] as the United States of America. [31:34] The way to get around that [31:35] is, as President Trump's leadership [31:37] has showed, [31:37] to become a nation of builders again. [31:40] We've got to build more power plants. [31:41] We've got to make [31:42] the regulatory state [31:43] easier to work with. [31:44] And of course, [31:44] we've done that. [31:45] You've got to make it easier [31:46] to reinvest [31:47] in the United States of America. [31:49] That's what we're doing [31:50] every single day. [31:52] We cannot be a country [31:53] that says, [31:54] we're not going to build [31:55] anything anymore. [31:56] With this backlash [31:56] on data centers, [31:58] I think that it is downstream [31:59] of the fact [32:00] that the United States [32:01] doesn't build enough power, [32:03] or at least it didn't [32:04] until about 18 months ago. [32:05] But obviously, [32:06] that stuff takes a little while [32:07] to come online. [32:07] It's going to come online [32:08] really fast [32:09] under the President's leadership. [32:11] Okay. [32:12] All right. [32:14] Let's go to... [32:16] Okay, somebody said left side. [32:20] Let's go to Joey Garrison. [32:22] Yeah, right here. [32:23] Okay. [32:23] Mr. Vice President, [32:25] you're speaking Wednesday night [32:26] at the midterm convention [32:27] in Dallas. [32:28] Several Republican candidates [32:29] in close congressional races [32:31] have said they don't plan [32:32] to attend the convention [32:33] or they're being noncommittal [32:35] about attending. [32:36] Why do you think [32:36] some of them are making [32:37] that decision? [32:38] And do you have any concern [32:39] about there being absences [32:40] from some of the battleground [32:42] midterm Republican candidates? [32:45] No, that doesn't concern me. [32:46] I mean, look, [32:46] so when you're running [32:48] a congressional race, [32:49] especially in a very tight race, [32:51] you have so many things [32:52] that are local [32:53] that you're focused on. [32:54] You've got fundraising, [32:55] you've got money [32:55] you've got to raise, [32:56] you've got staff [32:57] that you've got to deal with [32:58] and obviously give directives to. [33:00] And then most importantly, [33:00] you've got to go out there [33:01] and meet voters [33:02] and message to voters. [33:03] I think the unfortunate reality [33:06] of the national media [33:07] for this midterm convention [33:08] is, like, [33:09] my speech will get covered [33:10] a fair amount, [33:11] the president's speech [33:12] will be covered a ton. [33:13] We can make the argument [33:14] as much as possible [33:15] that if you elect [33:17] congressional Democrats, [33:18] you're going to see [33:18] higher prices, [33:20] worse energy, [33:21] higher taxes, [33:22] and more fraud. [33:23] The president and I [33:24] can go and make that argument [33:25] on national TV. [33:26] We don't need a congressman [33:27] in a tight race [33:28] to be there in all cases. [33:29] Sometimes it might be better [33:30] if that guy's out there [33:31] raising money, [33:32] but I think people [33:33] are going to make [33:33] a determination. [33:34] What is the best way [33:35] for me to spend my time [33:36] as a candidate? [33:37] Fundamentally, [33:37] the president and I [33:38] get one vote each, [33:39] just like every other American. [33:40] And what we want [33:41] is every person [33:42] in a tight race [33:43] to go out there [33:44] and make the best case [33:45] they can [33:45] to their constituents [33:46] so they can get reelected [33:48] and so we can do more good [33:49] for the American people. [33:50] That's the goal. [33:51] Caitlin. [33:51] Mr. Vice President. [33:52] Thank you. [33:52] I've got two questions for you. [33:53] First, the widow of an airman [33:55] who was killed [33:56] in the Iran war [33:57] says she's having trouble [33:58] getting some of the benefits [33:59] that they are, [34:00] they should have access to [34:01] because it has not been [34:02] officially declared a war. [34:04] Can you and the president [34:05] personally ensure [34:06] that the family of Alex Klinner [34:08] gets all the benefits [34:09] that they deserve [34:10] given he died serving the country? [34:12] Yeah, so what's her name? [34:13] You said his name [34:14] is Alex Klinner? [34:15] Yeah, he was an airman [34:16] who was killed [34:16] in the plane that went down [34:17] over West End or Iran. [34:18] So what I'd say, [34:19] Caitlin, [34:19] is please, [34:20] especially if you have [34:21] the private contact information, [34:23] we will reach out [34:24] to her directly [34:25] as soon as this is over [34:26] and make sure [34:27] that she gets [34:27] what she's entitled to. [34:28] Obviously, [34:29] you know, [34:31] our heart breaks [34:32] for every single person [34:33] who lost their lives [34:34] in this operation. [34:36] And, you know, [34:37] as much as our heart breaks, [34:38] I can't possibly fathom [34:39] a young widow, [34:41] what she's feeling [34:42] and dealing with it. [34:43] And so we want to be [34:44] as helpful as we can [34:45] and ensure she gets everything [34:46] that she's entitled to. [34:48] So we will certainly work [34:49] that on the back end [34:50] as soon as that. [34:50] And my message to her [34:51] would be, [34:53] we love you, [34:53] we're grateful [34:54] for the sacrifice, [34:55] and we very much [34:56] take very seriously [34:57] our commitment [34:58] to get you [34:59] what you need to get. [35:00] Yeah, she's got [35:01] three young children. [35:02] Secondly, [35:03] in terms of the war [35:04] and the timeline, [35:05] given this administration [35:06] has put timelines [35:06] out there before, [35:07] what you just said [35:08] about no negotiations [35:09] happening with Iran, [35:11] will this war be over [35:12] by the time [35:13] with the midterm elections? [35:14] Well, Caitlin, again, [35:15] I don't, [35:16] I wouldn't call it a war. [35:18] Right now, [35:18] there is no active shooting. [35:19] I recognize there have been [35:21] places where this has flared up. [35:24] Major combat operations, [35:25] again, [35:26] major combat operations [35:27] lasted for about six weeks. [35:29] And since then, [35:30] we destroyed, of course, [35:31] their nuclear facilities [35:32] with Midnight Hammer. [35:34] With Epic Theory, [35:35] we destroyed their [35:36] defense industrial base [35:37] for producing weapons [35:38] and also a lot [35:39] of their conventional military. [35:41] And then we made it harder [35:42] for them to rebuild [35:43] that nuclear program. [35:44] But when you ask, [35:45] when will this end, [35:47] you're asking me a question, [35:48] like, [35:49] when will the Iranians [35:50] stop shooting at ships? [35:51] I think the reality is, [35:53] I don't know the answer [35:53] to that question. [35:54] You would have to ask [35:55] the Iranians. [35:56] When will the Iranians [35:57] shooting at ships [35:58] stop having an effect [35:59] on world energy markets? [36:00] And the answer is, [36:01] it has less effect [36:02] day by day. [36:04] So what we're going to do [36:04] is not depend on the Iranians [36:06] behaving responsibly [36:07] or negotiating in good faith. [36:09] What we're going to do [36:10] is use the tools [36:11] that we have at our disposal [36:12] to ensure [36:13] that the American people, [36:15] one, never have to deal [36:16] with the threat [36:16] of an Iranian nuclear program, [36:18] and two, [36:19] that world energy markets [36:20] are properly supplied. [36:22] But so it's up to the Iranians [36:23] when this war ends? [36:25] Well, if the Iranians [36:26] keep on, [36:26] but Caitlin, [36:27] if the Iranians keep on [36:29] shooting at commercial ships, [36:30] again, [36:32] we have, [36:33] I think, [36:34] a responsibility, [36:35] but certainly [36:35] we're the only ones [36:36] with the capability [36:37] to ensure [36:38] that the Iranians [36:40] are not destroying [36:41] world energy markets. [36:42] And our attitude is [36:43] we're not going to set [36:44] an artificial timeline [36:46] because, [36:47] let's just say, [36:48] hypothetically, [36:48] let's say I told you [36:49] three months. [36:50] Let's say I told you [36:50] three days, [36:51] okay? [36:52] And then the Iranians [36:52] start blowing up [36:53] oil and gas ships, [36:55] and the United States [36:55] is the only country [36:57] with the capability [36:57] to ensure that those [36:59] oil and gas ships [36:59] get to market. [37:01] Well, [37:01] what I would say is [37:02] it would be irresponsible [37:03] for us [37:04] to write out our strategy [37:05] and our timeline [37:06] for an Iranian nation [37:08] that simply cannot [37:09] honor its commitments [37:10] and cannot stop [37:11] shooting at commercial ships. [37:14] Yeah. [37:15] You got CNBC? [37:16] Yeah. [37:17] Yeah. [37:17] Mr. Vice President, [37:18] James Carville famously [37:19] said that when he dies [37:21] he wants to be reincarnated [37:22] as the bond market [37:23] because you can [37:23] intimidate everybody. [37:25] We've seen higher bond yields [37:27] throughout the year [37:27] this year, [37:28] and I'm wondering [37:29] if you can tell us [37:30] how the U.S. government [37:31] thinks about the bond market [37:33] right now [37:34] in terms of its impact [37:35] on U.S. ability [37:36] to borrow [37:36] and finance [37:37] our massive deficits [37:38] and also on its impact [37:41] on your decision-making [37:43] about the Iran war [37:44] and also American spending. [37:47] Well, you know, [37:48] obviously the president [37:48] cares a lot about interest rates, [37:50] and I think one of the main reasons [37:51] he cares a lot about interest rates [37:52] is because he wants Americans [37:53] to be able to afford a home. [37:55] When interest rates go higher, [37:56] that means that [37:57] borrowing costs are higher, [37:58] and that's particularly true [37:59] if you have a mortgage. [38:02] So our view, [38:03] and this has been [38:04] a consistent message [38:04] from the president [38:05] and the rest of the administration [38:06] on down, [38:07] is that we believe [38:08] that the Fed [38:09] should be lowering interest rates. [38:11] We feel quite confident [38:12] that if you look [38:12] at the inflation numbers, [38:14] if you look at the CPI numbers, [38:15] that it's proper [38:16] and responsible [38:18] for the Federal Reserve [38:19] to lower interest rates. [38:20] So that is a very important thing. [38:22] It's something [38:22] that we care a great deal about. [38:23] I would defer [38:24] like the deeper questions [38:25] about the bond markets [38:26] to Scott Bessent, [38:27] who probably knows more [38:27] about the bond markets [38:28] than anybody [38:29] that I've ever talked to. [38:30] But obviously, [38:31] we care about this issue. [38:32] We're doing a lot of things [38:33] to try to keep [38:33] those interest rates down, [38:34] but it would be nice [38:35] to have some help [38:36] from the Federal Reserve. [38:37] Okay. [38:38] All right. [38:39] Okay. [38:40] So, does Andrew Feinberg [38:43] have a question [38:44] of less than 30 seconds? [38:45] No? [38:46] Okay. [38:46] Then we'll go on [38:47] to roll call. [38:48] Roll call. [38:49] Yes, sir. [38:50] Mr. Vice President, [38:52] obviously, [38:53] President Trump [38:54] has let his frustration [38:55] show at times recently [38:56] with Senate Majority Leader [38:58] John Thune. [38:59] You worked with John Thune [39:01] when you were a senator. [39:03] There will be leadership [39:04] elections [39:04] after the midterm elections [39:06] in the Senate. [39:07] Today, [39:07] will you endorse [39:08] John Thune [39:09] to be the GOP leader [39:10] in the new Congress? [39:11] Man, it's just not [39:12] my business. [39:13] It's the business [39:14] of Republican senators [39:15] to determine [39:16] who their next leader [39:17] will be. [39:17] I will say about John Thune [39:18] that we have [39:18] a very good relationship. [39:19] He has a very good relationship [39:20] with the President [39:21] of the United States. [39:22] That doesn't mean [39:22] you don't disagree [39:23] with people from time to time [39:24] or have a preference [39:25] or a priority. [39:26] That's going to be different [39:27] from the Senate Majority Leader. [39:28] But it's really not [39:29] my business [39:30] weeks, months [39:31] before a Senate election [39:32] to talk about [39:33] who should be [39:34] the next Republican [39:35] Majority Leader. [39:36] I suspect John Thune [39:37] will run again. [39:38] I suspect that he'll [39:39] get the support [39:39] of a lot of his colleagues. [39:40] But I would defer [39:41] to those folks [39:43] about who their next leader [39:43] is going to be. [39:44] The most important thing, [39:45] and I think John Thune [39:46] would agree with this, [39:46] I know the President [39:47] agrees with this, [39:48] is we've got to keep [39:49] the Republican Senate Majority. [39:51] Because if we elect [39:52] Senate Democrats, [39:53] what are they going to do? [39:54] We all know [39:55] what they're going to do. [39:55] They're going to try [39:56] to raise your taxes. [39:57] They're going to try [39:58] to stop us [39:58] from preventing money [39:59] going to fraudsters. [40:01] They're going to try [40:01] to investigate [40:02] and investigate [40:03] and investigate [40:04] rather than legislate [40:06] things that are [40:07] in the best interest [40:07] of the American people. [40:08] So I think Senate Democrats [40:10] taking over [40:11] would be a nightmare. [40:13] I think it'd be bad [40:13] for the American people. [40:15] But ultimately, [40:16] the American people [40:17] are going to make [40:17] that judgment. [40:18] And when they do, [40:19] then we can have [40:19] a conversation about [40:20] who's going to be [40:20] the next Senate leader. [40:23] Okay, let's go to [40:24] Libby Dean. [40:27] Libby? [40:28] Libby, can you guys [40:33] not hear me? [40:34] Libby. [40:35] Okay, Libby, go ahead. [40:37] I'm Libby, [40:37] Mr. Vice President. [40:38] Thank you so much. [40:40] First, a question on Iran, [40:41] but also I want to ask you [40:42] about East Palestine. [40:44] On Iran, [40:44] how concerned should [40:45] Americans be [40:46] about these cyber attacks [40:47] by Iranian hackers? [40:48] And then also [40:49] on East Palestine, [40:50] you called for an investigation [40:51] on Friday [40:52] into that train derailment. [40:54] I mean, it's been three years. [40:55] News Nation has been talking [40:56] with some of the people [40:57] who live in that community [40:58] who say their health concerns [41:00] have been suppressed. [41:01] Would you consider [41:02] an emergency declaration [41:04] to give those people [41:05] the federal help [41:05] that they need [41:06] while that investigation [41:07] that you called for [41:08] plays out? [41:09] Well, on East Palestine, [41:10] I wouldn't want to commit [41:10] to something unless I would [41:11] know that it would do some good. [41:13] And so having been asked [41:14] that question, [41:15] I'll think about it. [41:15] I've never thought about [41:16] whether that's necessary [41:17] to facilitate people [41:18] getting what they need. [41:19] But on the broader issue, [41:20] you know, [41:21] what we've learned [41:21] over the last couple of months [41:23] is something that I suspected [41:24] but frankly could never prove, [41:25] which is that the Biden administration [41:27] radically underestimated [41:29] the risks to the people [41:32] of East Palestine [41:33] and that their environmental [41:34] protection agency [41:35] wasn't being honest [41:36] with the American people [41:37] about what the consequences [41:38] of that train derailment were. [41:40] So yes, [41:40] we want that to be investigated. [41:41] We want the Biden administration [41:43] officials to be investigated [41:44] about whether they were, [41:45] you know, hedging, [41:46] whether they were lying, [41:47] whether they were doing [41:48] something malicious. [41:49] And that's what motivated [41:51] the letter that Lee Zeldin [41:52] and I sent. [41:53] And then your first question [41:53] was about remind me how concerned [41:55] should Americans be [41:56] about these cyber attacks [41:58] by Iran? [41:58] I see. [41:59] Yeah. [41:59] So, you know, look, [42:01] I'll tell you that we're [42:02] concerned about everything [42:03] because that's our job. [42:05] And I think you always have [42:06] to, of course, balance [42:07] when you're an American citizen, [42:09] you have to balance, [42:10] obviously, assessing [42:11] the real risks [42:12] that are out there, [42:13] but also going about [42:15] and living your life [42:15] because none of us [42:16] can be too overwhelmed [42:17] by risk or by fear. [42:18] What I would say [42:19] is that we feel quite confident [42:21] the homeland is safe. [42:22] We also feel quite confident [42:23] that the Iranians [42:24] are going to try to do [42:25] a lot of things [42:25] that they don't have [42:26] the capability to do [42:27] and that your government, [42:28] the American people [42:29] should know that your government [42:30] is obsessively focused [42:32] on both anticipating [42:34] any potential cyber threats, [42:36] but also responding [42:37] to them appropriately [42:38] and ensuring they don't happen. [42:39] So, you know, [42:40] if you look at the Iranian ability [42:41] to disrupt the normal lives [42:43] of Americans, [42:44] I think it's quite limited. [42:45] It's not zero, [42:47] but it's quite limited. [42:48] I'd be much more worried [42:49] about cyber attacks [42:50] from other actors. [42:51] But again, [42:51] we're doing everything [42:52] that we can [42:53] to stay ahead of this stuff. [42:54] And I think we're [42:54] the best government [42:55] in the world [42:56] at anticipating [42:57] and preventing cyber attacks. [42:59] So what I would say [42:59] to the American people [43:00] is it is a risk [43:01] that's out there, [43:02] but I don't think [43:03] it's wise to worry [43:05] about these amorphous risks. [43:07] You elect a government [43:08] that's going to fight for you, [43:09] that's going to defend you, [43:10] and that's what we're doing [43:11] every single day. [43:13] Let's go to Christian Daytoch. [43:16] Mr. Vice President, [43:17] you called on Green Media. [43:18] Thank you. [43:21] Sir, thank you. [43:22] Two questions, [43:23] one foreign, one domestic. [43:25] First, since this economic D-Day announcement [43:28] pertaining to Iran, [43:29] has President Trump [43:30] spoken directly to President Xi, [43:33] asking him to stop Chinese banks [43:35] from lending financial services [43:37] to Tehran? [43:39] So we've certainly had [43:42] a number of conversations [43:43] with the Chinese, [43:44] and, frankly, [43:44] I think the Chinese [43:46] have been responsive [43:47] to some of the requests [43:48] that we've made. [43:49] I actually don't know [43:50] whether the President [43:51] has spoken directly to Xi, [43:53] but we will get an answer [43:53] for you in follow-up. [43:55] Okay, thank you, sir. [43:55] And then I know [43:56] you don't want to talk [43:57] about your own potential [43:59] 2028 prospects, [44:01] but Senator Ted Cruz [44:03] and your good friend, [44:05] Secretary Hegseth, [44:07] apparently have been privately [44:08] and publicly, [44:09] in the case of Senator Cruz, [44:10] positioning for 2028. [44:12] Could you see yourself [44:14] supporting either one of them [44:15] for a presidential campaign? [44:18] That's an innovative way [44:19] to ask the question, [44:20] but I'm still not going [44:21] to take the bait. [44:23] Look, first of all, [44:24] I'd encourage any Republican, [44:26] if you care about the country, [44:27] and I think all of us do, [44:29] you should be focused [44:30] not on a job a few years from now, [44:33] you should be focused [44:33] on the midterms, [44:34] and that's the approach [44:35] that I've taken. [44:36] I think people sometimes [44:37] don't believe me [44:37] because they assume [44:38] you're the vice president, [44:39] you must think about this [44:39] all the time. [44:40] What I'm focused on, man, [44:41] is trying to get [44:42] as many Republicans [44:43] as elected as possible [44:44] so that we can do [44:45] as much good as possible [44:46] for the second two years [44:48] of the Trump administration. [44:49] That's a long time. [44:50] There's a lot of opportunity there. [44:52] And this job is so crazy. [44:53] Look at this, guys. [44:53] We're at the White House. [44:54] That's the front lawn [44:55] of the White House. [44:56] We get an opportunity [44:57] to come to work every day [44:58] and make 350 million [45:00] people's lives better. [45:02] That's what we have [45:02] to be focused on. [45:03] And so politically, [45:04] I'm very much focused [45:06] on the midterm elections. [45:07] I mean, Pete is a great guy. [45:09] And, yeah, I could see myself [45:10] supporting a whole host of people. [45:13] But most importantly, [45:14] right now, [45:15] I've got a lot of people [45:16] that I'm supporting right now [45:18] to get elected [45:18] for the November 2026 elections. [45:21] And on Ted Cruz, [45:21] I mean, look, man, [45:22] he's just clearly, [45:24] Ted is a very authentic [45:26] and likable guy, [45:27] and I'm sure he'll do great. [45:31] Newsweek. [45:32] Newsweek. [45:33] Can you tell me, [45:35] Maria Bartiromo just left Fox News. [45:38] Is she going to be the next [45:39] White House press secretary? [45:40] I don't know, man. [45:44] No, I don't think so. [45:46] You know, I just saw the news [45:48] literally as I walked out before. [45:49] I love Maria. [45:50] I think she's an amazing person, [45:51] amazing talent. [45:52] I don't get involved [45:53] in the personal drama [45:55] of media stations. [45:57] In fact, I'd like to invite [45:57] Peter Ducey to come up here [45:59] and answer a question [46:00] about what happened to Maria. [46:01] But I think whatever she does, [46:04] look, she's going to do great, [46:06] and I wish her all the best. [46:07] She's a very, very dear friend. [46:09] I haven't even talked to her, [46:10] so I don't know the backstory [46:11] about why she's decided [46:12] to leave Fox News. [46:15] I'm going to do a couple more. [46:18] I'm going to do a couple more. [46:19] I've got whip. [46:20] Okay, on the side here. [46:22] Okay, pink tie. [46:23] Pink tie. [46:24] Here we go. [46:25] That's why I wore the pink tie today. [46:26] That's right. [46:27] I knew you would see it. [46:28] Anyway, nine justices [46:30] we all know growing up [46:31] since grammar school, [46:32] there are nine justices [46:33] on the U.S. Supreme Court. [46:35] How long does it stay that way [46:36] based on what happened [46:37] yesterday in the House? [46:39] What do you mean? [46:40] Well, you know, going forward, [46:41] how confident are you [46:42] that it will remain at nine? [46:43] Well, look, our commitment [46:44] in the Trump administration [46:46] is that we would like [46:46] to have nine Supreme Court justices. [46:49] That's the way that it's been [46:49] for a long time, [46:50] and we think that's the way [46:52] that it should stay. [46:52] We also know that Democrats [46:53] have explicitly promised [46:55] that they will pack [46:56] the United States Supreme Court [46:57] if they're given additional power. [46:59] And again, this is why I think [47:01] that the choice in this election [47:03] is not between this set of policies [47:06] that are good [47:06] and this set of policies [47:07] that are not so good. [47:08] The choice in the election [47:09] really is between crazy people [47:11] who are trying to rig the game [47:12] and common sense people [47:14] who you may have disagreements [47:15] with from time to time, [47:16] but at least they're rooted [47:17] in common sense. [47:19] The Democrats are saying, [47:20] they're actively bragging, [47:22] that they don't like [47:23] the rules of the game, [47:24] meaning Americans vote [47:25] for House members, [47:26] Americans vote for senators, [47:27] and then we all try to make [47:28] the best government [47:29] and the best rules [47:30] and the best legislation [47:31] in the interest [47:32] of the American people. [47:33] They're saying that they think [47:35] that the rules don't allow them [47:37] to run roughshod [47:38] over the American Constitution, [47:39] so they want to change the rules. [47:40] They want to add additional states [47:42] so that there can be [47:42] more Democratic senators. [47:44] Note that they're not proposing [47:45] to add territories [47:46] that are heavily Republican. [47:48] They just want to add [47:49] the territories [47:49] that are heavily Democratic. [47:51] They also, of course, [47:52] want to pack the Supreme Court. [47:53] So how long will it last? [47:55] I think, frankly, [47:56] so long as Republicans [47:57] are in power, [47:59] we're going to have [47:59] a Supreme Court [48:00] that is good and honest [48:02] and fair to the Constitution. [48:04] What's up, ma'am? [48:06] Yeah, you right here. [48:07] Thank you, Mr. Vice President. [48:08] You mentioned something [48:09] very interesting earlier. [48:10] You said you wanted to, [48:11] the President was focused [48:12] on creating a nation of builders. [48:15] The ISM manufacturing, [48:16] PMI, showed that manufacturing activity [48:18] in the U.S. expanded [48:19] for eight consecutive months. [48:21] When you've hit the trail, [48:22] particularly in the Rust Belt, [48:24] have you noticed [48:25] the trickle-down effect [48:26] of the tax cuts [48:27] and the trade policy [48:28] of the President [48:28] having a positive effect [48:30] on U.S. manufacturing? [48:31] And does that make ideas [48:33] like the Foundry School, [48:34] which you were talking about [48:35] at the Institute of Peace, [48:36] that much more important? [48:37] Yeah, so let me just take, [48:39] I'm going to take [48:39] a couple more questions here, [48:40] but I appreciate you asking that. [48:42] So what I think [48:44] President Trump [48:45] will be remembered by, [48:47] rightfully so, [48:48] is for a renaissance [48:49] in American building [48:50] and American manufacturing, [48:51] that he is the President [48:52] who said 40 years [48:53] of bipartisan policy [48:55] where we ship American jobs, [48:57] we ship American industry, [48:58] we ship American pharmaceuticals, [49:00] we ship everything overseas [49:01] and hope that it's all [49:03] going to work out [49:04] for the American people, [49:05] he said enough. [49:06] This is a terrible idea [49:07] and it happened [49:08] because we were being [49:08] taken advantage of, [49:09] both by corporations [49:11] that were shipping [49:12] American industry overseas, [49:13] but also by other nations [49:14] that were getting rich [49:15] by pursuing policies [49:17] that the United States [49:18] leadership was too unwise [49:21] to pursue themselves. [49:22] So you're right. [49:23] The manufacturing index [49:25] is at the highest level [49:26] that it's been. [49:27] By the way, [49:28] after many left of center [49:29] economists [49:30] and many Democratic politicians [49:31] predicted that the manufacturing index [49:34] would fall to historic lows, [49:35] it is now at historic highs. [49:37] The tax cuts have been [49:38] a major part of this, [49:39] one of the most important [49:40] data points in the economy. [49:42] And again, [49:43] this takes a little bit of time [49:44] to bear fruit [49:44] is that you're seeing businesses [49:46] buy capital equipment, [49:48] buying the big machinery, [49:49] buying the things [49:50] that allow them to hire people [49:51] and build more stuff. [49:52] They're buying that stuff [49:53] at a record level. [49:54] And that's because [49:55] of the working families tax cuts, [49:57] because we invested in people [49:58] who are building and making [50:00] right here in the United States [50:01] of America. [50:02] When those pieces of equipment [50:04] get online [50:05] and then you got to hire [50:05] the workers who actually run [50:07] those pieces of equipment, [50:08] what does it mean? [50:08] It means more products [50:09] and lower prices [50:10] for American consumers. [50:12] It also means good, [50:13] middle class, [50:14] manufacturing jobs [50:15] for American workers. [50:16] But it's not, [50:17] if I'm being honest, [50:18] it's not just the carrot, [50:19] it's also been the stick. [50:20] I do not think [50:21] that you could have [50:23] the beginning [50:24] of a manufacturing renaissance [50:25] were it not [50:26] for President Trump's [50:27] willingness [50:27] to penalize [50:29] corporations [50:30] and foreign countries [50:31] that take advantage [50:32] of the American workers. [50:34] So it's been both. [50:35] It's been the tax cuts [50:36] that induce people [50:37] to invest in our country, [50:38] and it's been his willingness [50:40] and sometimes [50:41] him following up [50:42] with action to say [50:43] that if you're going [50:44] to shut down [50:44] an American factory [50:45] and put an American worker [50:46] out of a job, [50:47] then we are going [50:48] to charge you [50:49] a big fat tariff [50:50] on anything you try [50:52] to send back [50:52] into the United States [50:53] of America. [50:53] That's done as much [50:55] as anything [50:55] to protect American jobs [50:57] and protect American workers. [50:59] Go ahead. [50:59] Thank you very much. [51:01] Thank you very much, [51:02] Mr. Vice President. [51:03] I want to ask you [51:04] about the announcement [51:05] made by Secretary Besson [51:07] back on August the 24th, [51:08] the economic outcast operation. [51:12] Since that time, [51:14] besides the UAE, [51:15] has any other country [51:16] joined in isolating Iran [51:19] in that way? [51:20] And secondly, [51:21] how can that operation [51:22] be successful [51:23] if you don't have China [51:25] coming on board [51:26] and isolating Iran? [51:27] Well, first of all, [51:29] you do have, [51:30] I think, the Chinese, [51:31] the PRC, [51:32] being willing [51:33] to play ball here. [51:34] And we all know this, [51:36] and I think it's an open secret [51:37] for anybody who understands [51:39] the People's Republic of China. [51:41] Say what you will about them, [51:42] and of course, [51:43] we have some policy disagreements. [51:44] The president has [51:45] a very good relationship [51:46] with President Xi, [51:47] but obviously, [51:48] we have some misalignment [51:49] of interests, [51:49] some issues where the president [51:50] has to pursue our interests [51:51] at the expense of everybody else. [51:54] Say what you will about them. [51:55] They are not the sort of nation [51:56] that shoots at commercial shipping [51:58] because they're not getting their way [52:00] in an international dispute. [52:01] They are, in that way, [52:03] I think, willing to be [52:05] a little bit more responsible. [52:06] Again, I'm not saying [52:07] they're doing everything [52:08] that we've asked them to do, [52:09] but I think that the PRC [52:10] has been much more responsible, [52:13] certainly than the Iranians, [52:15] and much more responsible [52:16] than a couple of other nations as well. [52:18] But it's not just the PRC. [52:20] If you look at Turkey, [52:21] if you look at Azerbaijan, [52:23] if you look at UAE, [52:25] Saudi Arabia, Qatar, [52:26] a lot of the Gulf Arab coalition, [52:28] but if you look all across the world, [52:30] we're actually seeing [52:32] a lot of countries, [52:33] sometimes they're not willing [52:34] to say so publicly, [52:36] but privately, [52:36] they're doing a lot of good things [52:38] to help us ensure [52:40] that the Iranians pay a penalty [52:41] for firing commercial shipping. [52:43] Now, I have to remind you, [52:45] it's not just that they're paying a penalty [52:47] when they fire at commercial shipping, [52:49] it's also denying them [52:51] the economic resources [52:52] to rebuild their nuclear program [52:54] if they try to do so. [52:56] Now, so far, [52:57] we haven't seen them try to do so, [52:58] but part of what we're doing here [53:00] is having destroyed [53:01] their nuclear enrichment capacity, [53:03] we're trying to ensure [53:05] they don't rebuild it, [53:06] even if they try to do so [53:07] in the future. [53:08] And that's why this matters. [53:09] We're protecting commercial shipping, [53:11] we're protecting world energy markets, [53:13] but it's all in the service, [53:15] all in the service of ensuring [53:16] that Iran does not become [53:18] a nuclear weapons power. [53:20] Let me ask a final question [53:21] of Mary Margaret Olehan. [53:25] Mr. Vice President, [53:26] I have two questions for you, [53:27] if that's okay. [53:28] Go ahead. [53:28] On the first one, [53:29] were you or the president involved [53:31] in the deportation of Milo Yiannopoulos, [53:34] and when did you learn [53:35] about that activity? [53:36] And then on the second one, [53:38] could you give us [53:38] your elevator pitch [53:39] for why Americans should choose [53:41] Republicans over Democrats [53:45] in the midterm elections? [53:46] Yeah, so on Milo, [53:47] I won't speak for the president, [53:48] but I found out, [53:49] I think like so many others found out, [53:51] if you can imagine, [53:52] we are because the last administration [53:54] brought in so many illegal aliens. [53:57] I don't keep track [53:58] of every single person [53:59] that DHS deports. [54:00] So I found out about it publicly. [54:02] I'm not sure if the president [54:03] knew about it beforehand, [54:04] but I'm sure we can follow up [54:05] with the president [54:06] and get you an answer [54:06] to that question. [54:07] It's interesting. [54:08] I didn't expect to be asked that. [54:09] That's one thing [54:10] I did not talk to him about [54:11] before I came out here [54:12] for the briefing. [54:13] And then, look, [54:14] my elevator pitch is actually, [54:16] it's very simple. [54:17] Do you want to live in a country [54:19] that has safety [54:21] and security and prosperity? [54:22] If the answer is yes, [54:24] and I think most Americans do, [54:26] then vote for congressional Republicans [54:28] over congressional Democrats. [54:29] On every single issue, [54:31] the Democrats have taken the side [54:33] of fraudsters, [54:35] of criminals, [54:36] and of far-left interest groups [54:37] over the side [54:38] of the American people. [54:39] Let me choose just a few issues, okay? [54:41] So on fraud, [54:42] we are trying to take money [54:43] out of the hands of fraudsters [54:45] so that people who rely on Medicaid [54:47] or people who rely on food stamp benefits, [54:49] they're able to get what they need [54:51] because we've ensured [54:52] that Americans' people's tax dollars [54:54] actually go where it's supposed to go [54:55] rather than fraudsters. [54:57] Democrats have fought for the fraudsters, [54:59] and Republicans have fought [55:00] for the people who deserve these benefits [55:03] and the American taxpayers [55:04] who are paying those benefits. [55:05] If you look at oil and gas policy, [55:08] Democrats for a generation [55:10] have gone to war against energy. [55:13] We've tried to make it easier [55:14] to build additional energy capacity, [55:16] and we've done that [55:17] for the past 18 months. [55:19] If you look at crime, [55:20] we have had, I think, [55:21] the most successful anti-crime policy [55:24] maybe in the history of, [55:25] I can't think of a single 18-month period [55:28] where you've seen violent crime [55:30] drop so significantly [55:32] thanks to the work [55:34] of a single administration. [55:35] And in every step of the way, [55:37] the Democrats have fought us [55:38] to open prisons. [55:40] They've fought us to prevent us [55:41] from putting people, [55:42] violent criminals, behind bars. [55:44] They've fought us on basic things [55:46] like funding and supporting law enforcement. [55:48] They've fought us on giving tax breaks [55:50] to our police officers. [55:53] So on every issue [55:54] where we've been successful [55:55] in promoting law and order, [55:57] the Democrats have been for the criminals [55:58] and we've been for the American people. [56:00] And finally, just one other [56:02] very, very important issue, [56:03] and that's building [56:05] in the United States of America. [56:07] This guy, Abdul El-Sayed, [56:09] he says that he stands for working people. [56:11] Well, if you stand for working people, [56:13] then why have you supported [56:14] the same policies [56:15] that for 40 years [56:16] shipped the Michigan auto industry [56:18] to foreign nations? [56:20] We are the people [56:21] who have been fighting [56:22] for the jobs [56:23] of Michigan auto workers. [56:24] We've been the people [56:25] willing to stand up [56:26] both to the big corporations, [56:28] but the big foreign competitors [56:30] and say you are not allowed [56:32] to steal American industry anymore. [56:34] So on all these issues, [56:36] Democrats stand for somebody else. [56:38] The Republicans stand for you. [56:40] My argument to the American people [56:41] is not that you're going to agree [56:42] with us on every issue, [56:43] but they're a bunch of crazy people. [56:46] Elect the common sense people [56:47] to Washington [56:47] and we'll keep on doing great work. [56:49] Thank you all. [56:49] Good to see everybody. [56:53] If this isn't a war, [56:54] what is it? [56:57] All right. [56:58] As you see there, [56:58] Vice President J.D. Vance [57:00] officially exiting the room [57:01] after giving the White House [57:02] press briefing. [57:03] The first one we had received [57:05] since July of this year. [57:07] And so, so many of those reporters [57:08] packed into the room [57:09] just waiting for their opportunity [57:11] to ask the Vice President [57:13] a few questions [57:14] about the latest moves there [57:15] from the Trump administration. [57:17] But as you see there at the end, [57:18] the Vice President [57:19] choosing to address [57:20] the American people, [57:21] continuing to show you [57:22] different shots [57:23] that we have there in the room. [57:25] But again, this was an update [57:26] that we had anticipated [57:27] here on Live Now from Fox. [57:28] The Vice President [57:29] starting about 45 or so minutes [57:31] behind schedule, [57:32] but ultimately still taking [57:34] about an hour [57:34] to answer some of those questions [57:36] from those publications. [57:37] And so, we'll continue on here [57:39] on Live Now from Fox. [57:40] We want to put up [57:41] this live vantage point [57:42] that we have of the White House. [57:44] Some of the highlights [57:44] of this update, [57:46] if you were not watching [57:47] the full-time alongside [57:48] with us here on Live Now from Fox, [57:50] we do know that Vice President [57:51] J.D. Vance said [57:52] that the Federal Reserve [57:53] should lower rates. [57:55] This is when he was discussing [57:56] the economy. [57:57] Vice President Vance said this, [57:58] quote, [57:59] our view is that [57:59] this has been a consistent message [58:01] from the President [58:02] and the rest of the administration [58:03] on down, [58:04] is that we believe [58:05] that the Fed should be [58:06] lowering rates. [58:07] And so, he was asked [58:08] not only about [58:09] the Federal Reserve, [58:11] but continuing on to say [58:12] that we feel quite confident [58:13] that if you look [58:14] at the inflation numbers, [58:15] if you look at the CPI numbers, [58:17] that it is proper [58:18] and responsible [58:19] for the Federal Reserve [58:20] to lower those interest rates. [58:22] According to the Associated Press, [58:23] Fed officials, [58:25] including the chair, [58:26] that was picked [58:27] by President Trump, [58:28] Kevin Warsh has said [58:29] that inflation [58:30] is now running [58:31] above the central bank's [58:32] 2% target rate. [58:34] That's a sign [58:35] that the Fed should [58:36] either hold its rates [58:37] or hike them [58:38] in order to put [58:39] downward pressure [58:40] on inflation. [58:41] The consumer price index [58:42] rose 3.4% in July [58:44] over the last 12 months. [58:47] And so, [58:47] we'll continue [58:48] to keep you updated [58:49] here on Live Now from Fox. [58:50] There's the official tweet, [58:51] though, [58:51] from Rapid Response [58:52] connected to the White House [58:54] saying, [58:55] Vice President Vance, [58:56] I don't really care [58:57] who's to blame [58:57] for inflation. [58:58] I care about how to fix it [59:00] and what we've been [59:01] working relentlessly [59:02] to do by undergoing [59:03] the policies [59:04] that got prices [59:05] so high in the first place. [59:07] Thank you. [59:07] Back out live there [59:08] to the White House. [59:10] Yet another update [59:11] we did here [59:11] was a lot about [59:12] the conflict in Iran. [59:14] Vice President J.D. Vance [59:15] saying that the ongoing [59:16] conflict between the U.S. [59:17] and Iran [59:17] is not a war. [59:19] This comes just two days [59:20] after the U.S. [59:21] wrapped up [59:21] its latest rounds [59:22] of strikes. [59:23] He did call it [59:25] a major combat operations [59:26] saying that [59:27] that only lasted [59:28] about six weeks [59:29] in which during [59:30] much of Iran's [59:30] military's capabilities [59:32] were destroyed. [59:33] But he did say [59:34] that Iran continues [59:35] to fire at ships [59:36] transitioning [59:37] and trying to transit [59:39] through the [59:39] strait of war moves [59:40] and that the U.S. [59:41] must protect [59:42] global shipping [59:43] at this point. [59:44] Yet another update [59:45] that we got there [59:46] as well. [59:46] was.