‘I don’t think the president said that’: JD Vance denies a Trump quote to a reporter’s face, and CNN immediately rolls the tape

Vice President JD Vance had an awkward moment when he denied a quote made by President Donald Trump about the Iran conflict. The quote was about Trump not considering Americans’ financial situations when making decisions about Iran. CNN quickly picked up on the moment and played the clip of Trump making the comment right after Vance denied it, making the exchange even more uncomfortable to watch.

NBC News White House Correspondent Monica Alba asked Vance if he agreed with the President’s position that Americans’ financial situations shouldn’t factor into the decision-making process on Iran. Vance replied, “I don’t think the president said that,” and then went on to agree that Iran shouldn’t have a nuclear weapon. The denial was striking given how widely the original Trump quote had already been covered in the media at that point.

The quote Vance was denying was made by Trump on Tuesday, when the President was asked how much Americans’ financial situations were motivating him to make a deal with Iran, reports Mediaite. Trump replied that he wasn’t thinking about Americans’ financial situation “even a little bit,” and said the only thing that mattered was stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Those comments had already been circulating widely before Vance made his denial.

The Iran conflict is hitting American wallets hard, and the White House cannot ignore it

Vance’s denial stood out because Trump’s comments were already making headlines across the media and were even featured on the Drudge Report in bright red letters at the time. Many critics, including Democrats, argued that Trump’s position showed he was out of touch with the struggles of everyday Americans. 

The broader context here is significant.  The US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in late February. Since then, Iran has blocked access to the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply typically passes every day. The blockage has had serious consequences for global energy markets and has directly contributed to rising costs for American consumers.

This has caused a major spike in gas prices across the US, with the national average price of regular unleaded gas reaching $4.50 per gallon on Tuesday. For many American families, that number is being felt at the pump every single week, and there is growing frustration that the White House does not appear to be treating it as an urgent concern.

Rising fuel costs have had a ripple effect across the wider US economy, with April inflation surging to 3.8%, its highest level in nearly three years. According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, increased energy costs are accounting for over 40% of the monthly all-items increase. Everyday goods, from groceries to transportation, are becoming more expensive as a direct result of the energy price surge.

Despite all of this, Trump has maintained that preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is the top priority, and he repeated that he is not thinking about Americans’ financial situation “even a little bit”, according to NBC News. His administration has shown no signs of shifting that position, even as the economic pressure on ordinary Americans continues to build.

The tension between Vance’s denial and the widely reported Trump quote has raised questions about how the White House is handling its messaging around the Iran conflict. Vance has also been in the news recently after his White House invitation to the Pope was turned down, with Marco Rubio instead flying to the Vatican for a private meeting. 

The situation remains ongoing, and the economic pressure on Americans shows no sign of easing anytime soon. This isn’t the first time Vance has found himself in an uncomfortable public spotlight, as footage from the correspondents’ dinner raised serious questions after he was rushed out by the Secret Service before Trump arrived.