A heated JD Vance interview with ABC News host George Stephanopoulos ended abruptly Sunday after the vice president pushed back against questions regarding border czar Tom Homan and alleged bribery claims.
Stephanopoulos repeatedly asked whether Homan accepted $50,000 in cash, citing an FBI surveillance tape from September 2024. “He was recorded on an audiotape… accepting $50,000 in cash,” the host stated. The report, covered by MSNBC, claimed Homan allegedly received the money from undercover agents posing as business executives seeking government contracts under a potential second Trump administration. The FBI reportedly closed the investigation, and the White House said Homan never accepted the funds.
Vance forcefully denied the allegations, saying, “I don’t know what tape you’re referring to, George. I saw media reports that Tom Homan accepted a bribe. There’s no evidence of that. And here’s why fewer and fewer people watch your program and why you’re losing credibility.” He urged the host to focus on “real issues” and accused Stephanopoulos of going “down some weird left-wing rabbit hole.”
Stephanopoulos pressed again, stating, “It’s not a weird left-wing rabbit hole. I didn’t insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50,000… and you did not answer the question.” Vance attempted to respond, but the interview was cut short.
Afterward, Vance posted on X: “George S doesn’t care about that. He’s here to focus on the real story: a fake scandal involving Tom Homan.”
The White House has previously defended Homan. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you’re referring to… This was another example of the weaponization of the Biden Department of Justice against one of President Trump’s strongest and most vocal supporters.”
