During an interview on NBC, Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance clashed with host Kristen Welker over questions regarding former President Trump’s suggestion to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate President Joe Biden. Welker repeatedly pressed Vance on whether he supported Trump’s proposal, which Vance initially confirmed, explaining that Trump’s call for an investigation into Biden’s possible wrongdoing was reasonable and aligned with ensuring accountability for the previous administration.

Vance argued that Biden had engaged in lawfare against his political opponents, and he emphasized the need to investigate instances of possible corruption, citing the House Oversight Committee’s findings. When Welker pointed out that Biden did not appoint the special prosecutor, but rather Attorney General Merrick Garland, Vance countered by explaining the executive control Biden had over Garland, which he believed invalidated Welker’s point.

Welker further challenged Vance by suggesting that Vance was endorsing the weaponization of the Justice Department, a claim he rejected, stressing that an investigation of credible wrongdoing was necessary for a functioning democracy. He also raised concerns about the legitimacy of the prosecution of Trump, which involved a DOJ official who transitioned to a local prosecutor’s office. Welker dismissed this as a routine occurrence, but Vance insisted it was a historic breach of democratic norms, pointing out that it would be equally concerning if a similar situation occurred under Trump’s administration. In the end, Vance maintained that investigating potential wrongdoing was not a threat to democracy, but rather a necessary step for upholding law and order.

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