Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance sharply criticized NBC News host Kristen Welker during a tense interview, accusing her of repeatedly attempting “gotcha” questions about Donald Trump’s comments on using the Justice Department.
In the exchange on NBC’s Meet the Press, Welker pressed Vance on whether he would support Trump appointing a special prosecutor to investigate President Joe Biden and his family if Trump wins the election. Vance firmly defended the idea, framing it as a necessary step to address potential wrongdoing rather than political retaliation.
“Senator, if former President Trump were to win, would you support him appointing a special prosecutor to go after his political enemies, the Bidens?” Welker asked.
Vance responded that he found the intense media and Democratic reaction to Trump’s remarks surprising. He argued that Trump was simply calling for an investigation into Biden for alleged misconduct, something the current administration has pursued against its opponents through what he described as “lawfare.”
“Donald Trump is talking about appointing a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden for wrongdoing,” Vance said. “Joe Biden has done exactly that for the last few years—and far more—to engage in a campaign against his political opposition. What Trump is saying is that we ought to investigate the prior administration.”
He pointed to reports from the House Oversight Committee highlighting potentially corrupt business dealings involving the Bidens, emphasizing that proper investigations are needed to determine if any were criminal. Vance contrasted this with the Biden administration’s actions, asking why those weren’t viewed as greater threats to democracy and the rule of law.
Welker pushed back, noting that Biden did not personally appoint special prosecutors—the attorney general did—and that Trump’s indictments came from grand juries, with a New York jury convicting him. She repeatedly tried to pin Vance down: “Would you support him taking such an action? It sounds like you’re saying yes.”
Vance rejected what he called a false premise. He noted that Attorney General Merrick Garland answers to Biden and can be fired by him, so the administration bears responsibility. He also questioned the legitimacy of Trump’s New York prosecution, pointing out that a senior Department of Justice official under Biden had joined the local prosecutor’s office to pursue the case.
Welker countered that such personnel moves happen routinely and cited the DOJ’s claim of no improper contact with the New York case. She asked why it would be unacceptable for Biden to “weaponize” the Justice Department but acceptable for Trump.
Vance pushed back firmly: “You said that happens all the time, but the number three person in the Department of Justice jumped ship to go after the president’s political opponent. I don’t think that’s ever happened in the history of American democracy, and we shouldn’t legitimize it.”
He clarified that Trump was not advocating retaliation but simply reinforcing accountability by investigating credible allegations of wrongdoing. “That is not a threat to democracy,” Vance concluded. “That’s merely reinforcing our system of law and government.”
The segment highlighted deep partisan divides over the use of federal investigations in politics, with Vance portraying Trump’s stance as restoring fairness after what he sees as years of selective prosecution by the opposing side.
