JD Vance snaps at reporter over Trump stock trading questions: ‘Have a little bit of objectivity’

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance snapped at a reporter during a White House briefing after being pressed over President Donald Trump and stock trading ethics concerns.

Telling the journalist, “Come on, man. Have a little bit of objectivity in the way that you ask these questions because there were a lot of things in that speech masquerading as a question that didn’t actually get asked.”

The clash stood out during what was otherwise a more restrained appearance from Vance at the podium compared to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently took over White House briefing duties while press secretary Karoline Leavitt is on maternity leave.

Vance repeatedly tried to calm reporters shouting over each other as he fielded questions on Iran, AI, and the Justice Department’s new “anti-weaponization fund.” 

JD Vance snaps at reporter over Trump questions

During a White House press briefing on Tuesday, May 19, the sharpest exchange came when a reporter raised concerns about Trump’s stock trading decisions and possible ethical implications. Vance cut the question off before answering directly, accusing the journalist of framing the issue unfairly.

“Come on, man,” Vance said from the podium. “Have a little bit of objectivity in the way that you ask these questions.”

He added that the reporter’s remarks included “a lot of things in that speech masquerading as a question that didn’t actually get asked.”

Despite the tense moment, Vance largely maintained a lighter tone throughout the briefing. At one point, he joked about using a seating chart to identify reporters, saying, “I’ve got my cheat sheet here, so I know who to call on and most importantly who not to call on,” drawing laughs from the room.

The vice president also joked about filling in for Leavitt, saying he agreed to do it only if she agreed to become vice president “when second lady Usha Vance gives birth later this year.”

Iran talks, January 6 questions dominate briefing

Vance also faced repeated questions about Iran negotiations and whether Tehran was acting in good faith during talks with Washington.

“So, do I personally believe it?” Vance said when asked if Iran would ultimately agree to a deal. “The honest answer is, how could I possibly know, right?”

He later defended his recent diplomatic trip to Islamabad, saying he spent “21 hours on the ground negotiating with the Iranians.”

“Why did I go to Islamabad, Pakistan?” Vance asked reporters. “Because we wanted to show a sign of good faith.”

The vice president also defended the administration’s military posture toward Iran, saying, “We want to keep the number of countries that have nuclear weapons small, and that’s why Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Another contentious portion of the briefing centered on the Justice Department’s new $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which is meant to compensate people who claim they were unfairly targeted by the government.

When asked whether those convicted of attacking Capitol Police during the January 6, 2021, riot could receive compensation, Vance responded, “We’re not trying to give money to anybody who attacked a police officer.”

“We’re just going to look at every case, case by case,” he added. “What I’m committing to is a legal process to review these claims and to make sure that people who are mistreated by their government get a little bit of compensation.”