US vice-president JD Vance was heckled at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia on Tuesday in what appeared to be criticism of wars in the Middle East.
About 10 minutes into the event, a member of the audience interrupted Vance’s remarks to yell: “Jesus Christ does not support genocide!” Minutes later, a voice shouted: “You’re killing children! You’re bombing children!”
It was unclear if they were referring to the war in the Gaza Strip or the US-Israel attacks on Iran.
Later, Vance appeared to express sympathy with critics of the Iran war. “I recognise that young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East, okay,” he said. “I understand.”
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The vice-president’s conciliatory tone appeared to be an acknowledgment that many of US president Donald Trump’s supporters voted for him in 2024 on a promise of “no new wars”.
Instead, Trump attacked Iran in separate conflicts, threatened to seize control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, and abducted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in a surprise strike on the country’s capital.
In the following months, the Trump administration negotiated deals for Venezuelan oil and natural resources under the threat of a naval blockade.
Vance, a likely presidential candidate in 2028, would have to defend that foreign policy record and seek the support of the anti-interventionist wing of the Make America Great Again political movement. The war has scrambled Trump’s coalition, causing some prominent conservative voices − like Tucker Carlson, who is especially close to Vance − to emerge as fierce critics of the war.
Vance addressed the audience’s outbursts, agreeing that “Jesus Christ does not support genocide” and defending the Trump administration’s handling of Gaza. He added that the audience should be thankful that Trump negotiated a ceasefire in the war. Vance, speaking of the heckler, said that “we have consistently tried as much as we can to solve the problems, not just complain about them like the guy who just ran away”.
But the vice-president later took a diplomatic tone as he addressed anti-war critics. Vance, who opposed going to war with Iran, has not openly expressed that stance in public and has instead defended Trump on the war in public remarks.
In responding to anti-war critics, Vance argued that conservatives who may not support the war should stick with Trump because he had delivered on other Republican priorities − such as immigration.
He added: “I’m not saying you have to agree with me on every issue. What I am saying is, ‘Don’t get disengaged because you disagree with the administration on one topic. Get more involved, make your voice heard even more.’ That is how we, ultimately, take the country back.”
Vance did not specify from whom he was taking back the country. Republicans control the White House and hold majorities in both chambers of Congress.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
