Senator JD Vance (R-OH) put on quite the show this weekend, handling CNN’s Jake Tapper with a cool precision that only someone who’s seen the media’s spin machine up close can pull off. Vance, now a seasoned sparring partner for the liberal media, walked right into *State of the Union* and quickly took the reins, proving why President Trump’s choice to add him to the 2024 ticket was nothing short of inspired.
From the start, Tapper was on the offensive, armed with tired talking points that CNN has parroted since Trump first ran for office. He questioned Vance about former Trump officials now critical of the 45th president and implied that these ex-Trumpers were acting on some principled stance. But, boy, was Tapper in for a surprise. Vance didn’t hold back, cutting straight to the heart of why so many of these “former officials” have turned against Trump.
As Vance succinctly explained, these D.C. insiders thought they could pull strings behind the scenes, whisper in Trump’s ear, and keep those juicy overseas contracts rolling for their pals at Raytheon. These officials signed up to work with Trump under the assumption they could “handle” him, keep him on the well-trodden path of endless wars and interventions. But when Trump showed he wouldn’t bend to their agenda, they realized their gigs were up. Cue the “principled” turncoats who, suddenly jobless, are ready to trash Trump at every opportunity.
Tapper, apparently dumbfounded that anyone would suggest something so scandalous as the defense industry greasing palms, fired back: “So all ten people, including former VP Mike Pence, are attacking Trump because they want endless wars?” Vance didn’t flinch: “Absolutely!” Vance continued to lay out what so many Americans know—these career bureaucrats wanted Trump on a leash. When he slipped it, they ran for the nearest mic to badmouth him.
TAPPER: They’re all just going after Donald Trump because they want to send people into war? That’s really your argument?
VANCE: Absolutely that’s my argument.@jaketapper presses @JDVance over warnings from former Trump officials. Watch the full interview on @CNNSotu at 9am ET. pic.twitter.com/XCNGCbXbjC— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) October 26, 2024
As if the foreign policy discussion wasn’t enough, Vance moved on to CNN’s own greatest embarrassment: the Russia hoax. Remember the narrative that Trump was somehow a puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin? Vance did, and he was more than happy to remind Tapper of CNN’s endless coverage of that baseless story. Tapper squirmed, trying to justify it with, “The FBI was investigating it and so we covered it.” But Vance wasn’t having it. He called CNN out for essentially broadcasting gossip and wishful thinking as fact, warping reality for millions of viewers who probably still think there’s something to that hoax.
.@JDVance sends CNN into oblivion for pushing the Russia hoax: "Ask yourself a basic question about network integrity!" pic.twitter.com/sUIRhjXKHX
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 27, 2024
By the time the dust settled, it was Tapper who looked stunned, and the liberal media machine looked weaker than ever. This is why Trump picked Vance: he’s sharp, unafraid, and ready to face the media’s bias head-on. As the 2024 campaign unfolds, it’s looking like the Trump-Vance ticket will be giving us plenty more of these takedown moments. It’s no wonder CNN would rather talk about anything else—they know they’re outmatched.