ABC Information’ Jonathan Karl pressed Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) on Sunday over former President Donald Trump’s controversial dinner with Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist who has launched racist feedback at his spouse Usha Vance.
Karl, in a sit-down interview with Trump’s operating mate, famous the “actually nasty stuff” that Fuentes mentioned concerning the candidate’s household when he asked whether a “man who has an Indian spouse and named their child Vivek goes to help white identification” final month.
“He mentioned that horrible stuff however he mentioned — I imply, he’s a white supremacist,” Karl instructed Vance.
“Look, I believe he’s — President Trump has issued loads of condemnations on this. The one factor that I like —,” Vance replied.
“However not of Fuentes,” Karl interjected.
“The one — the one factor I like about Donald Trump, Jon, is that he really will speak to anyone,” Vance mentioned.
He continued, “However simply since you speak to someone doesn’t imply you endorse their views. And look, I imply Donald Trump spent quite a lot of high quality time with my spouse. Each time he sees her, he provides her a hug, tells her she’s lovely and jokes round together with her slightly bit.”
Karl, earlier within the interview, learn Fuentes’ feedback to Vance’s face and referred to them as “racist rubbish.”
“Sure it’s,” replied Vance, who beforehand acknowledged however didn’t condemn the white supremacist assaults in an interview final month.
“However that is additionally a man that dined with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago throughout this marketing campaign,” mentioned Karl, citing Fuentes’ dinner with Trump and Ye — the artist previously often known as Kanye West who has praised Adolf Hitler — in 2022.
Vance steered that Trump “doesn’t know something about and albeit doesn’t care” for Fuentes earlier than describing his “perspective” to folks attacking his spouse.
“She’s lovely, she’s sensible. What sort of man marries Usha? A really sensible man and a really fortunate man, importantly,” Vance mentioned.
He continued, “And my view is, look, if these guys wish to assault me or assault my views, my coverage views, my persona, come after me. However don’t assault my spouse, she’s out of your league.”
Vance, later within the interview, declared that he wasn’t nervous in any respect about Trump however has nervous “generally about these ridiculous assaults.”
“However once more, that is what you join whenever you come into politics,” he mentioned.
“I want folks would hold it centered on me. However, no matter, they’re gonna say what they’re going to say. My spouse’s powerful sufficient to deal with it and that’s a very good factor.”
