Vice President JD Vance Addresses Gas Prices and Corruption Concerns at Michigan Town Hall
During a CBS News town hall in Flat Rock, Michigan, Vice President JD Vance discussed high gasoline prices and denied evidence of corruption in the Trump administration, while Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers addressed separate campaign issues.
Vice President JD Vance fielded questions from Michigan voters at a town hall hosted by CBS News in Flat Rock, a key battleground ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. When a Detroit barber asked why gasoline prices remain high compared with the period of President Trump’s first term, Vance cited disruptions to global energy markets caused by Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping and attributed part of the price increase to the previous administration’s reduction in refining capacity.
"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.
Vance added that the current administration is using the Defense Production Act to help restore domestic refining capacity, noting that rebuilding infrastructure will take time. CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil challenged Vance’s attribution, pointing out that high gasoline prices have persisted throughout the two years of the Trump administration.
The discussion shifted to allegations of corruption in Washington. Dokoupil referenced a poll indicating strong voter concern and asked Vance whether he had observed any wrongdoing inside the White House.
"You certainly see evidence of corruption in Washington, D.C. Do I see evidence of corruption from the president of the United States, from the administration? No, Tony, I just don’t," Vance responded.
The exchange occurred shortly after former ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned amid claims of seeking donor payments for access to administration officials, a matter she has denied. Dokoupil also raised questions about proposed limits on IRS scrutiny of the president’s tax returns and cryptocurrency earnings.
In a separate segment, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed confirmed his sister-in-law’s involvement in litigation related to the federal terrorism watchlist during the Obama administration, while Republican candidate Mike Rogers had previously accused El-Sayed of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which the Democrat denied. Fox News reporters contributed to the coverage.