In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, sat down with Joe Rogan to discuss a range of controversial topics and share his thoughts on the current political climate. From the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump to Vance’s personal take on transgender rights and even his taste in Netflix shows, the three-hour interview offered listeners an inside look at Vance’s positions and personality. Rogan’s podcast is known for its vast reach and loyal following, with around 14.5 million followers on Spotify, predominantly young men—a key demographic for the GOP in the upcoming 2024 election.
This appearance came just days after Trump’s own guest spot on Rogan’s podcast, where he discussed topics like election interference and aliens. For Vance, the timing of his interview was significant, falling just under a week before the highly anticipated election. Throughout the conversation, Rogan often voiced agreement with Vance, and both men questioned Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s ability to lead.
Anti-Transgender Sentiment and Gender Identity in Sports
Early in the episode, Vance and Rogan tackled the topic of transgender rights, specifically focusing on gender-affirming care for minors and gender participation in sports. As a father to a young daughter, Vance expressed his concerns about transgender women competing in women’s sports, framing it as a safety and fairness issue. He shared a hypothetical scenario in which his daughter could face a much larger competitor, stating, “I don’t want her going into athletic competitions where I’m terrified she’s gonna get bludgeoned to death.”
Vance also voiced an unconventional opinion that some parents might pressure their children to identify as transgender as a strategic move to gain an advantage in college admissions. He suggested that, for upper-middle-class families, “the one way that those people can participate in the DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] bureaucracy in this country is to be trans.” This idea drew criticism online, as many felt it misrepresented the motivations behind gender identity and dismissed the complexities of being transgender.
Vance also speculated that Trump could gain support from “normal gay guys” who are frustrated with the current social climate. According to Vance, many in the LGBTQ community “just wanted to be left the hell alone” and may view recent developments, like the push for gender-affirming care for minors, as “crazy stuff on top of it.”
Criticism of Biden and Allegations of Manipulation
The conversation then shifted to President Joe Biden, whom Vance jokingly accused of helping Trump’s campaign with controversial remarks. Recently, Biden had called a Trump supporter “garbage” after the supporter made inflammatory comments about Puerto Rico. Vance speculated that these kinds of remarks could inadvertently benefit Trump. He remarked, “After we win, I’m gonna be convinced that Joe Biden was trying to help us the whole time.” This casual yet cutting remark highlighted Vance’s take on Biden’s divisive language and implied that it could alienate moderate voters.
Vance took the opportunity to bet on a surprising scenario: he speculated that Biden and even his son Hunter might vote for Trump. These bets, though clearly not serious, underscored the lingering doubts Vance seems to harbor about Biden’s allegiance to his own party’s nominee, Harris. Despite Vance’s remarks, Biden has been a vocal supporter of Harris since stepping down from the race, endorsing her fully.
Environmental Issues and Climate Change Skepticism
On the subject of climate change, Vance’s responses were less clear-cut. He claimed to hold no strong views on carbon emissions and questioned why the environmental movement focuses heavily on carbon rather than on issues like obesity. “Why do we have the highest rates of obesity in the world right now?” Vance asked, seeming to imply that lifestyle factors could be just as impactful.
Rogan chimed in to share his distrust in the green movement, citing “profit that’s being made off the green movement” and name-dropping Bill Gates, who has invested billions in climate technology. In line with other episodes, Rogan referenced unverified claims that wind turbines harm marine life, specifically whales—a claim widely debunked, as most whale deaths are caused by fishing gear and boats rather than clean energy sources.
The Assassination Attempt on Trump: Vance’s Reaction
One of the more intense parts of the interview came when Vance recounted his reaction to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Vance was mini-golfing with his family in Ohio when he heard the news that Trump had been shot in the ear during a rally. Believing Trump might have been killed, Vance described his shock and immediate response, which involved gathering his family, loading his guns, and “standing like a sentry” at his front door. Vance, a Marine veteran, admitted that his training kicked in, and his protective instincts surged as he anticipated potential threats.
Vance revealed that Trump had previously suggested he might announce his VP pick at that same rally, though he ultimately chose not to. Vance’s anecdote underscored the deep personal and political stakes involved in his alignment with Trump and the sense of urgency that drives his loyalty.
Rogan’s Critique of Kamala Harris
Throughout the interview, Rogan was openly skeptical about Harris’s candidacy. He questioned why the Democratic Party had positioned her as the solution to their challenges, given her historically low approval ratings as vice president. “It’s just strange that everyone’s accepting that this person who is the least popular vice president ever is now the solution to the problem,” Rogan said. He also criticized the Democratic Party’s shift in narrative around her candidacy, implying that media manipulation had painted Harris as a viable leader without a primary process to validate her support.
Rogan revealed that Harris’s team had previously proposed an interview, but he ultimately turned it down due to restrictive terms. He explained that he prefers to host guests in his studio for longer, unfiltered conversations.
While the interview between Rogan and Vance was lively and often controversial, it allowed Vance to present himself in a more personal light, diverging from policy discussions to talk about family, his taste in television (he called Emily in Paris a “masterpiece”), and the stresses of modern American politics. For both Rogan’s audience and Vance’s campaign, the episode served as a high-stakes platform to influence young, politically engaged listeners just days before the election.
