Trump awkwardly scapegoated Vance during the debate and Vance can’t explain why

Former President Donald Trump casually tossed his running mate under the bus during his first debate with Vice President Kamala and it appears that J.D. Vance had a difficult time trying to explain why Trump did it. 

Trump did not do well during the debate and one of his lowest moments came when he was asked by one of the two moderators how he would vote on a national abortion ban based on a statement made by Vance. 

“Your running mate, J.D. Vance has said that you would veto [an abortion ban] if it did come to your desk,” ABC News anchor Linsey Davis said, referencing a statement that Vance made while speaking with Kristen Welker on Meet the Press.  

Vance had said he could “absolutely commit” that Trump would not impose a federal ban on abortion according to NBC News. He also told Welker that Trump had explicitly said he would oppose a ban, but apparently, Trump never spoke with Vance about the issue. 

While on the debate stage, Trump said: “Well I didn’t discuss it with J.D., in all fairness. And I don’t mind if he has a certain view, but I don’t think he was speaking for me.” He went on to add: “We don’t have to discuss it.” 

It was an embarrassing moment for Vance since it painted him in a bad light, but ABC News didn’t let the moment go and went on to ask Vance about Trump’s answer after the debate. Vance appeared to have a difficult time explaining Trump’s comments. 

When asked to explain Trump’s debate answer on a national abortion ban, Vance told ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl: “Well, I think the president’s been very clear that he doesn’t want a national abortion ban.”

“I think in some ways he finds the question a little bit ridiculous because why are we asking him about legislation that’s never going to actually happen,” Vance continued, according to Mediaite.

“And why would he veto it or not veto it when he says very explicitly he doesn’t support a national abortion ban and he wants these policies to be made by the states,” Vance added. But he didn’t really answer the question. 

The New Republic reported that Vance’s answer didn’t clarify why Trump decided to “throw him under the bus,” and when Vance was asked by Karl to clarify his answer, he admitted that he hadn’t spoken to Trump about the issue. 

“But Senator Vance, why wouldn’t he just say he would veto the national abortion ban? By the way, had you spoken to him about it before you were put in a position to answer that question?” Karl asked. 

“No, I hadn’t spoken to him about it because again, Donald Trump thinks the question is absurd because he doesn’t support a national abortion ban and he’s been explicit about it,” Vance replied. 

Vance went on to say that it was preposterous that the media was focused on an issue Trump has been “crystal clear” about while Americans were struggling to afford groceries thanks to the policies of Kamala Harris. 

The New Republic noted that Vance was “doomed to spend the next few months, and maybe the next few years, being a professional scapegoat for Donald Trump,” a fate that seems as if it could become more and more likely as Trump flounders against Harris. 

During the debate, Trump refused to commit to vetoing a national abortion bill according to The Hill, which reported that Trump kept dodging the question and suggesting that he would never have to veto an abortion ban because abortion was now a state issue. 

“I’m not in favor of an abortion ban, but it doesn’t matter, because this issue has now been taken over by the states,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t have to.” However, Trump’s track record suggests he likely wouldn’t veto an abortion ban if the issue did come up during a hypothetical second term in office. 

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