Vance Dodges Question on Trump’s Ties to White Supremacist Amid Racist Attacks on His Wife
CBS/screen grab
In a recent CBS interview, Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance avoided directly addressing whether former President Donald Trump had disavowed a white supremacist known for making racist comments about Vance’s wife, Usha. The interview, aired on Sunday, highlighted the ongoing controversy surrounding Trump’s association with figures like Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist who has publicly attacked Vance’s interracial marriage.
Vance acknowledged the racist attacks his family has faced due to his wife’s ethnicity. “Well, look, it’s going to follow us wherever we go, because that’s the nature of public life in America, and it’s disgraceful,” Vance said, expressing frustration with the challenges of being in the public eye.
However, Vance quickly shifted the conversation to criticize Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, accusing the left of contributing to the issue by focusing on race. “I frankly think that, unfortunately, a lot of people on the left have leaned into this by trying to categorize people by skin color and then give special benefits or special amounts of discrimination,” he remarked.
CBS host Margaret Brennan pressed Vance on the connection between Trump and Fuentes, noting that Fuentes, who has a history of anti-Semitic and racist rhetoric, had dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago before launching attacks on Vance’s wife. “Well, in your own movement, that’s what I want to ask about,” Brennan said. “Because one of the supremacists who was saying things like this about your family—Nick Fuentes, an avowed anti-Semite—went after your wife. He had previously dined at Mar-a-Lago with Donald Trump.”
Brennan then posed a direct question to Vance about whether the MAGA movement, with which both he and Trump are associated, had room for such individuals. “Does this have any room in your movement, in the MAGA movement?” she asked.
“Of course, it doesn’t have any room in the MAGA movement,” Vance responded, though he stopped short of addressing Trump’s ties to Fuentes directly. Instead, he emphasized his personal disdain for Fuentes. “Donald Trump has criticized this person. Look, I think the guy’s a total loser. Certainly, I disavow him.”
Vance’s reluctance to more explicitly condemn Trump’s association with Fuentes has drawn attention as the 2024 election approaches. His responses reflect the delicate balancing act that Republican candidates face in addressing controversial figures within their ranks while maintaining the support of the broader MAGA base.
The exchange on CBS underscores the ongoing challenges for the GOP as it navigates issues of race and extremism within the party, with Vance’s comments likely to be scrutinized by both supporters and critics in the weeks ahead.
