JD Vance confronted Megyn Kelly on “The Megyn Kelly Show” Tuesday to address the “very immature” MAGA infighting over the war in Iran.
The vice president called out the drama during his Tuesday appearance following instances of Kelly being quite outspoken about the war since it was launched in February.
Kelly was first to admit that the military operation “divided” the GOP in recent months, noting it has been “a sad, tumultuous, stressful time” for conservatives.
“It’s much more fun, I think, for most of us who lean right or right-leaning independents to be fighting with the left,” Kelly added. “But it’s been kind of civil war-y over on the conservative team since this whole thing got launched. And the non-interventionalist right feels very betrayed, very betrayed by it.”
In response to the right’s frustration with the war, which directly broke President Donald Trump’s “no new wars” campaign promise, Vance encouraged critics to see the work they’ve done in the Middle East, defending it “was fundamentally worth it.”
Here’s where Vance directly addressed the infighting within the MAGA movement, stating, “Even if you disagree with this particular action, it’s completely ridiculous to pick up your marbles and go home. That’s not how politics works.”
While Vance encouraged his critics on the right to “stay engaged” and keep having “your voice heard,” he took umbrage with MAGA supporters walking away from the Trump coalition over this one issue.
Kelly then confronted Vance with the president’s own words, when he said those who speak ill of [Trump supporter] Mark Levin “are not MAGA.”
“Well, the president, as he does, is pushing back at a criticism of yours that he thought was unfair,” Vance responded. “I talked to him last night and I said, ‘Mr. President, I’m going to go on Megyn Kelly’s show and I’m going to defend the administration’s policies.’ And he said, ‘Absolutely. I love that.’ Because again, he engages and he’s going to criticize you when he disagrees with you. He’s going to say nice things about you when he agrees with you.”
Vance then reiterated his disappointment with conservative Iran critics. “The frustration that I’ve had with, you know, the non-interventionist side has been that the attitude seems to be, we disagree with the president on this policy … That doesn’t mean you can give up on the entire enterprise.”
“Right now, we need everybody who recognizes that this is a good deal for the American people and that we don’t want, like John Podhoretz is saying, hundreds of thousands of ground troops in Iran, make your voice heard,” Vance continued. “This is where you’ve got to participate in the process. Disagree when you disagree. Agree when you agree. But I don’t like this idea of the president did something I like didn’t like, so I’m out. I think it’s a very immature way to approach the political process. And it’s the way to ensure that your enemies always win.”
Vance then reminded Kelly that the coalition that helped elect Trump was mixed with people who were for and against U.S. intervention abroad, highlighting that Podhoretz is now currently frustrated over the U.S.’ cease-fire deal.
“But just as he’s disappointed right now, sometimes other people are going to be disappointed at other times,” Vance added. “You can’t just quit politics because the leader of a country of 330 million people makes a decision you disagree with.”
Watch the full conversation above.
