JD Vance Town Hall: Gas Prices, Immigration and Iran

Vice President JD Vance took questions from Michigan voters at a CBS News town hall in Flat Rock, as the state’s open Senate race draws national attention ahead of the November midterms. Michigan is emerging as a major battleground in the fight for Senate control, with Democrat Abdul El-Sayed facing Republican Mike Rogers, a former House member. The event touched on pocketbook issues, ethics in Washington, immigration and the ongoing war with Iran.

Gas prices and blame over energy costs

The first voter question came from a Detroit barber who asked why gas prices remain well above levels seen during Donald Trump’s first term. Vance pointed to two main factors: Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping and what he described as a steep loss of U.S. refining capacity during Joe Biden’s presidency. He said roughly 20% of American refining capacity went offline under Biden and argued that rebuilding domestic infrastructure takes time.

Vance said the Trump administration is using the Defense Production Act to help restore refining capacity, while acknowledging that the process will not be immediate. CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil challenged that explanation, noting that Trump and Vance have been in office for nearly two years while consumers are still paying elevated prices at the pump.

Corruption questions and White House scrutiny

Dokoupil also raised concerns about corruption in Washington, citing polling showing deep voter anxiety over the issue. Asked whether anything inside the Trump White House had made him uneasy, Vance said he sees corruption in Washington broadly but not from the president or the administration itself.

The exchange came shortly after Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as U.S. ambassador to Greece amid allegations that she sought $100,000 from a donor seeking access to Trump administration officials. Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing. Pressed on that matter, as well as concerns involving limits on IRS scrutiny of Trump’s tax returns and the president’s cryptocurrency earnings, Vance said selling access to the White House would be “disgusting and despicable” and that anyone responsible should be held accountable.

When asked whether he would comply with subpoenas if Democrats win control of Congress in January and launch investigations, Vance answered plainly that he would. He said he follows the law.

Immigration rhetoric under pressure

One of the sharpest exchanges came from a naturalized U.S. citizen who said she voted for Vance but objected to what she called the administration’s scapegoating of immigrants. She specifically challenged his past description of some H-1B visa workers as “foreign indentured servants.”

Vance said that if his wording had been imperfect, that was on him, but he defended the substance of his argument. He said his criticism is aimed at companies that exploit foreign workers and use visa programs in ways that can displace Americans, not at immigrants themselves. He argued that H-1B rules can give employers too much control because a worker’s ability to remain in the country is tied to the job.

Asked whether his rhetoric dehumanizes immigrants, Vance said that was not his goal. At the same time, he argued that admitting too many people too quickly can weaken social cohesion and alter communities in ways that concern some citizens. After the pre-recorded town hall aired, Vance posted on X about riots in France, calling the unrest a warning about failed assimilation policies.

Iran, antisemitism and the Michigan race

On foreign policy, Dokoupil asked why the war with Iran has lasted longer than the administration expected. Vance said the U.S. had already won “in some ways,” arguing that American strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, which he described as the central objective of the operation. He added that the administration is still seeking a long-term, verifiable commitment from Tehran not to rebuild while also trying to keep Iran from disrupting global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance also condemned antisemitism after a Michigan voter asked him to address anti-Jewish rhetoric on the right. The voter, Eddie Rubin, said his young children survived the March attack at Temple Israel in Michigan, when a Lebanese-born U.S. citizen rammed a pickup truck into the synagogue entrance before being killed in a gunfight with security. Vance said he condemns “Jew hatred,” then criticized El-Sayed for saying after the attack that “hurt people hurt people.” El-Sayed condemned the violence and later apologized, saying he never meant to justify it.