Vance Blames Biden for High Gas Prices at Michigan Town Hall

Vice President JD Vance stood before Michigan voters at a town hall in Flat Rock just weeks before the midterms. The state is now a critical battleground for Senate control. Republicans are fighting hard to keep their House and Senate majorities while Democrats push back. Abdul El-Sayed seeks the open Senate seat against Mike Rogers, who previously served in the House of Representatives. CBS News hosted this event to capture these key moments.

A Detroit barber, 43 years old, asked Vance why gas prices stay so high compared to Trump's first term. Vance pointed fingers at Iran's attacks on commercial shipping and the disruption they caused to global energy markets. He also blamed the Biden administration heavily. "That's actually the biggest reason why gas prices are so high, because when Joe Biden was president, we had about 20% of American refining capacity that went offline," Vance stated. He noted the Trump administration used the Defense Production Act to help restore domestic refining capacity but warned rebuilding takes time. CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil pushed back on this blame game. He reminded everyone that Trump and Vance have been in office for nearly two years while Americans still face high gas prices.

Dokoupil shifted focus to government corruption after a Fox News poll showed 60% of voters were extremely concerned about the issue. He asked if anything inside the Trump White House made Vance feel squeamish. "You certainly see evidence of corruption in Washington, D.C. Do I see evidence of corruption from the president of the United States, from the administration? No, Tony, I just don't," Vance replied. This exchange happened days after Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as U.S. ambassador to Greece amid allegations she sought $100,000 from a donor seeking access to Trump administration officials. Guilfoyle denies any wrongdoing. Dokoupil pressed Vance on these allegations alongside concerns about IRS restrictions on Trump's tax returns and cryptocurrency earnings. Vance called selling White House access disgusting and despicable. He insisted anyone responsible should face consequences. When asked if he would comply with subpoenas investigating alleged corruption if Democrats took Congress in January, Vance said of course he will. "Look, we follow the law. I follow the law."

A naturalized U.S. citizen confronted Vance over his immigration rhetoric. She voted for him but questioned why the administration scapegoats immigrants. This voter immigrated to the United States 20 years ago and challenged Vance on calling certain H-1B visa workers foreign indentured servants. "To the extent that my rhetoric has been imperfect here, that's on me," Vance admitted. Yet he defended his remarks by arguing his criticism targeted companies exploiting foreign workers rather than immigrants themselves. He explained the H-1B visa system gives employers too much power over workers whose status depends entirely on their employment. It also allows companies to replace American workers with visa holders. "That's not a criticism of the H-1B visa holder.

John Vance faced sharp criticism from one questioner regarding a policy that brings people in only to lay off American workers later. That specific complaint hung heavy over the town hall event.

Dokoupil pushed back hard on whether this rhetoric dehumanizes immigrants or aligns with Trump administration views. "My goal here is not to dehumanize any immigrant," Vance replied quickly. "And in fact, I love a number of immigrants."

He argued that moving too many people into the country too fast could break social cohesion and change local communities fundamentally. He pointed directly at his own neighborhood as proof. "I have neighbors, I have friends of mine who literally don't know a single person in their neighborhood who speaks the language they do," he stated. To Vance, it is not unreasonable for an American citizen to want to share space with people they have something in common with.

The session was pre-recorded, yet Vance took to X almost immediately after airing to show footage of a burning building in France during mass riots. He called the situation unfolding there a cautionary tale for the United States. "Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion," he posted on his platform. They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility, Vance claimed.

"They were told it would lead to this and they didn't listen," he continued. "I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn."

Vance also addressed the war with Iran when asked why operations dragged longer than anticipated by the Trump team. Dokoupil asked directly, "Why haven't we won decisively?" Vance countered that the U.S. had actually won in some ways already. He insisted American strikes successfully destroyed Iran's nuclear program, which was the central reason for launching the operation. "Have we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program? The answer is yes," he declared.

However, he noted the administration still works to secure a long-term and verifiable commitment from Iran that it would not rebuild capabilities while preventing Tehran from disrupting global energy supplies. He claimed Iranians responded by terrorizing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, driving up gas prices globally. Vance said gas prices would be three times as high if the U.S. Navy did not protect that waterway.

Vance also took aim at soft-on-crime Democrats as Republicans face an uphill midterm battle, accusing them of having lost their minds. He specifically blasted Abdul El-Sayed over his response to a synagogue attack in Michigan. A Michigan voter urged Vance to condemn antisemitism within his own political base, including figures like Tucker Carlson.

The question came from Eddie Rubin, a lifelong Democrat whose young children survived the March attack at Temple Israel. The attacker rammed a pickup truck through the entrance before shooting security guards and died on impact. No children or staff were injured in that tragic event. "I condemn anti-Semitism. I condemn Jew hatred," Vance said firmly.

Yet he quickly turned the conversation to Michigan's Senate race, criticizing El-Sayed for remarks like hurt people hurt people. He argued El-Sayed showed empathy not with Rubin and his family but with a man who nearly killed hundreds of innocent children. El-Sayed later apologized for his wording after condemning the attack, saying he never intended to justify the violence.