Vice President JD Vance blasted the press on Monday, accusing them of hypocrisy in their coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and questioning why similar scrutiny wasn’t applied to past administrations.
Speaking at an economic event in Canton, Ohio, Vance responded to a reporter’s question implying the Trump administration may be shielding s**** traffickers. He swiftly turned the tables, asking why the media never pressed the Obama or Bush White Houses on their handling of Epstein.
“For four years under Joe Biden’s Department of Justice, the media didn’t care about the Epstein files,” Vance said. “Suddenly, Trump’s back in office and you’re asking if we’re protecting pedophiles?”
Vance: Trump Most Transparent on Epstein
Vance defended President Donald Trump’s record on Epstein, insisting the current administration has done more than any previous one to uncover the truth.
“The president has been very clear — we’re not hiding anything,” he said. “He’s directed the attorney general to release all credible information and to keep digging. That’s more than Obama, more than Bush, more than Biden ever did.”
Earlier this month, a leaked DOJ-FBI memo claimed no client list was found and that no credible evidence had emerged of Epstein blackmailing high-profile figures. The memo disappointed many Trump supporters who had long believed Epstein’s network involved powerful elites.
Still, Vance pointed out that Trump responded swiftly by instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to declassify all “pertinent” records tied to the case.
Reporter Confronts Vance, Gets Blunt Reply
During a Q&A session, Associated Press reporter Julie Carr Smyth asked Vance about accusations from protesters outside the venue who claimed Republicans were shielding Epstein’s client list.
Vance didn’t hold back.
“President Trump is the first one actually trying to bring transparency to this,” he said. “And somehow he’s the one you’re criticizing?”
He continued, “For 20 years, under Obama and George W. Bush, this case was swept under the rug. No one in the media seemed interested. Now that Trump is demanding answers, suddenly it’s a scandal?”
Vance: Media Complicit in Epstein Cover-Up Silence
Vance called out what he described as a clear double standard, arguing that the press is only ramping up Epstein coverage now because President Trump is back in the White House.
“If you really care about transparency, maybe ask the administrations that ignored Epstein for two decades why they did nothing,” he said. “That’s where the cover-up happened.”
As for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate currently serving a federal sentence, reports have surfaced suggesting she may seek a presidential pardon. Maxwell’s attorney recently met with DOJ officials, fueling speculation.
Meanwhile, Trump critics continue to seize on his past ties to Epstein, despite Trump’s insistence that he banned the financier from Mar-a-Lago years ago after learning of inappropriate behavior.
Vice President Vance left the podium with a final message to the media: “If you’re going to start asking tough questions, don’t start with the one president who’s actually trying to answer them.”
