Awkward moment JD Vance cut off live TV after lashing out about show's ratings

Vice President JD Vance was cut off mid-sentence while live on TV in an awkward interview as he slammed the show's ratings.

It got a little heated between JD Vance and ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday (October 12), after the host quizzed the VP over the Tom Homan scandal.

The Trump administration has reportedly shut down an investigation into its 'border czar' after he allegedly accepted $50,000 in cash in September last year in exchange for his assistance in connecting parties with future government contracts related to immigration enforcement.

The sting was carried out by undercover FBI agents, with officials across the Justice Department reportedly believing they had a case against Homan on potential charges from conspiracy to commit bribery to fraud.

The White House has since denied that Homan accepted any cash bribe, though the 63-year-old former director of ICE has not said much on the matter since the investigation closed.

Vance said he didn't know what the TV anchor was talking about in the awkward interview (ABC)

Stephanopoulos pulled the vice president up on the matter several times in the tense discussion on the This Week live broadcast yesterday.

The host asked Vance outright if Homan kept the money or gave it back, to which Vance snapped: "George, you've covered this story ad nauseam. Tom Homan did not take a bribe.

"It's a ridiculous smear. And the reason you guys are going after Tom Homan so aggressively is because he's doing the job of enforcing the law. I think it's really preposterous."

He continued: "I know Tom. I think that he's a good man. He gets death threats, he gets attacked, he gets constantly threatened by people because he has the audacity to want to enforce the country's immigration laws."

Vance then turned to encourage the former Democratic advisor to explore a 'much more interesting story' into why Homan is, according to him, being 'constantly harassed and threatened to the point of death threats'.

He added: "That's a much more interesting question that I think journalists should focus on. We can agree to disagree on that question."

But the TV host did not back down.

"I'm asking you, did he accept the $50,000 that was caught on the surveillance tape? Did he accept that $50,000 or not?" Stephanopoulos asked.

While Vance said he didn't know what he was talking about, the host stressed: "He was recorded on an audiotape in September of 2024, an FBI surveillance tape, accepting $50,000 in cash. Did he keep that money?"

"Accepting $50,000 for doing what, George?" a visibly irritated Vance replied. "I am not even sure I understand the question. Is it illegal to take a payment for doing services? The FBI has not prosecuted him."

Stephanopoulos said he didn't 'insinuate' anything with his questions (ABC)

When Stephanopoulos asked him again, the VP spiralled into a rant about This Week, stating that 'fewer and fewer people' watch the program and accused the reporter of 'going down some weird left-wing rabbit hole' on the Homan issue, resulting in Stephanopoulos pulling the plug on the conversation entirely.

Vance complained: "And here’s, George, why fewer and fewer people watch your show, and why you’re losing credibility, because you're talking for now five minutes with the vice president of the United States about this story regarding Tom Homan, a story that I have read about, but I don't even know the video that you're talking about."

Stephanopoulos replied: "It's not a weird left-wing rabbit hole. I didn't insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50,000 as was heard on an audiotape recorded by the FBI in September 2024, and you did not answer the question."

"Thank you for your time this morning," he concluded, while the VP could be heard trying to interrupt as the show cut to commercials.

UNILAD has contacted ABC for comment.