JD Vance Defends Pricey Gas and Escalatory Iran Claims at Michigan Town Hall
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At a CBS-hosted town hall in Flat Rock, Michigan, Vice President JD Vance tried to pin high gasoline prices on Iran-related shipping turmoil and defended the sweeping claim that U.S. strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, while also soft-pedaling his immigration rhetoric and condemning antisemitism amid political controversy.
Vice President JD Vance took questions from Michigan voters at a town hall in Flat Rock organized by CBS News, just weeks before the November midterm elections. He blamed elevated gasoline prices on Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping, saying the disruptions have shaken global energy markets, and argued that the Biden administration’s earlier shutdown of roughly 20% of U.S. refining capacity also pushed prices higher. Vance said the Trump administration used the Defense Production Act to restore domestic refining capacity, while warning that rebuilding the infrastructure would still take time.
When pressed about corruption allegations involving former White House officials, Vance said he sees no evidence of wrongdoing by the president or the administration, called the sale of White House access “disgusting and despicable,” and said he would comply with any congressional subpoenas.
On immigration, Vance acknowledged that his earlier remarks describing some H-1B visa workers as “foreign indentured servants” were imperfect, but insisted that his criticism is aimed at companies that exploit foreign workers rather than immigrants themselves. He argued that the H-1B system gives employers too much control and can displace American workers.
Vance also answered a voter’s question about the ongoing conflict with Iran. He asserted that the United States has already destroyed Iran’s nuclear program and said the main purpose of the operation was to stop Tehran from rebuilding nuclear capabilities and from disrupting global energy supplies. He claimed that without U.S. naval protection in the Strait of Hormuz, gasoline prices could be three times higher.
Addressing antisemitism, Vance condemned hatred of Jews and criticized Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s remarks after a synagogue attack in Michigan, saying the comments showed empathy for the attacker rather than for the victims.
"That's actually the biggest reason why gas prices are so high, because when Joe Biden was president, we had about 20% of American refining capacity that went offline," Vance said.
"I don’t see evidence of corruption from the president of the United States, from the administration," Vance told the moderator.
"My goal here is not to dehumanize any immigrant. And in fact, I love a number of immigrants," Vance added.
"Have we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program? The answer is yes," Vance affirmed.
"I condemn anti-Semitism. I condemn Jew hatred," Vance stated.