J.D. Vance's Watergate Remarks Reflect Gop's Current Stance
WHO:
Orange County Register - Vice President J.D. Vance, Rep. Mike Levin, Democratic Reps. Jim McGovern, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Kelly Morrison, Jamie Raskin, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner
CNN - Vice President J.D. Vance
CNN - Richard Nixon
CNN - President Donald Trump
CNN - Vivek Ramaswamy, GOP presidential candidate
WHAT:
Orange County Register - Vance stated, “If Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be like a 12-hour news story. Like, the idea that it would have taken down a presidency is crazy.”
Orange County Register - Vance was at the Nixon Library to promote his new memoir, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.”
Orange County Register - Rep. Mike Levin criticized Vance, stating, “Vance is telling us a president can break the law, lie about it, and turn federal agencies into weapons, and we should all just go along with it.”
CNN - Vance likened Nixon’s ouster to efforts to hold Trump accountable, blaming the “deep state.”
CNN - Vance claimed Watergate wouldn’t be much of a story today.
CNN - Vance stated, “I think that his historical legacy is enjoying a bit of a renaissance — but I think deservedly so.”
CNN - Vance compared his profile to Nixon’s, stating he is “hated by the media.”
CNN - A Gallup poll from December 2024 showed 54% of Americans rated Nixon “below average” or “poor,” while only 12% rated him “above average” or “outstanding.”
CNN - Among Republicans, 39% rated Nixon negatively compared to 19% positively.
CNN - A Reuters-Ipsos poll showed Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of corruption issues 61%-27%.
WHERE:
CNN - Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, California
WHEN:
CNN - Vance made his remarks on a Thursday.
CNN - Ramaswamy spoke at the Nixon Library in August 2023.
CNN - The Gallup poll referenced was conducted in December 2024.
CNN - The Reuters-Ipsos poll referenced was conducted last month.
WHY:
Orange County Register - Vance’s comments were criticized by Democrats as an attempt to lower the standards for presidential accountability.
CNN - Vance’s comments may be aimed at downplaying Trump’s problems by comparing them to Nixon’s.
CNN - There is a fear among GOP members, including Vance, that perceptions of corruption could resonate with the public.
HOW:
Orange County Register - Vance compared himself to Nixon, saying, “Young senator, vice president, writes some best-selling books, is hated by the media. It kind of sounds like JD Vance.”
CNN - Vance suggested that if Watergate happened today, it would be a “12-hour news story.”
(UPDATED June 26, 2026 23:20 UTC)
Vice President J.D. Vance recently made headlines while promoting his new memoir, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” at the Nixon Library, where he suggested that if Watergate occurred today, it would only be a brief news story. His remarks drew sharp criticism from Rep. Mike Levin, who argued that Vance was implying that a president could break the law and misuse federal agencies without consequence. Vance even likened himself to Nixon, claiming that his experience as a young senator and vice president, along with being disliked by the media, mirrors that of the former president.
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(UPDATED June 26, 2026 17:37 UTC)
Vice President J.D. Vance recently drew parallels between the ouster of Richard Nixon and the current efforts to hold Trump accountable, suggesting that Nixon's Watergate scandal would only be a brief news story today. He expressed that Nixon's historical legacy is experiencing a renaissance, despite a Gallup poll revealing that 54% of Americans rated him as "below average" or "poor." Vance's remarks, made at the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, seem aimed at downplaying Trump's issues by highlighting the media's disdain for both figures.