Vance Sits Down for Interview With Margaret Brennan

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Oh, Margaret Brennan. Bless her heart for trying, but Vice President JD Vance was not about to let her throw out a talking point as flimsy as “America is unique” to defend one of the most absurd immigration policies on the planet. The exchange, which aired over the weekend, was a masterclass in logic versus platitudes, and let’s just say Brennan came armed with… well, not much.

The topic? Birthright citizenship. You know, that glaring loophole in U.S. immigration law that allows anyone born on American soil—whether their parents are here legally, illegally, or just passing through—to automatically become a U.S. citizen. It’s an outdated relic that no other developed nation in the world clings to, but somehow, we’re supposed to keep it because, as Brennan puts it, “America is unique.” Unique, yes. Obligated to remain the world’s doormat? Not so much.

Vance, as always, didn’t hold back. He started by pointing out the obvious: citizenship isn’t a participation trophy. It’s not something handed out just because someone figured out how to game the system. “Temporary residents, people who come in here, whether legally or illegally, and don’t plan to stay, their children shouldn’t become American citizens,” Vance said. “I don’t know any country that does that or why we would be different.” Exactly. What rational country hands out the keys to its future to people who have no intention of contributing to it? Spoiler alert: none. But apparently, in Brennan’s world, America is “unique,” so normal rules don’t apply.

Brennan’s big retort? The tired cliché: “Well, but this is a country founded by immigrants.” Ah, yes. The argument that if you say the word “immigrants” enough times, you’ve won the debate. But Vance wasn’t having it. He started to respond—pointing out that America was also founded by settlers, you know, people who actually built the country—but Brennan cut him off with her grand declaration: “This is a unique country.”

Cue the eye roll. Vance, with just the right mix of patience and snark, delivered the knockout blow: “This is a very unique country, and it was founded by some immigrants and some settlers. But just because we were founded by immigrants doesn’t mean that, 240 years later, that we have to have the dumbest immigration policy in the world.” Ouch. But he’s right. America’s unique history doesn’t mean we’re required to hold on to policies that make zero sense in today’s world. Being “unique” shouldn’t mean being uniquely bad at enforcing immigration laws.

Vance then broke it down in simple terms—something Brennan and her ilk seem to have a hard time grasping. “America should actually look out for the interests of our citizens first,” he said. Imagine that! A government prioritizing its own people over temporary visitors trying to exploit a loophole. Radical, right? Vance continued, “If you’re here permanently and lawfully, your kid becomes an American citizen. If you’re not here permanently, if you’re not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and don’t plan to be, why would we make those people’s children American citizens permanently?” Why indeed. It’s a question Brennan didn’t seem equipped to answer.

Here’s the thing: Brennan’s argument isn’t unique. It’s the same old song and dance we’ve heard from open-border advocates for years. “America is a nation of immigrants!” they cry, as if that magical phrase should absolve us of having a functional immigration system. But Vance nailed the core issue—this isn’t about hating immigrants. It’s about common sense. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right-handed out to anyone who happens to be born here because their parents figured out how to exploit a loophole.

He also crushed her when discussing FEEMA:

So, while Brennan flailed around with platitudes, Vance delivered a reality check. America’s immigration policy isn’t sacred; it’s broken. And if we’re going to continue being the “unique” country Brennan seems so proud of, maybe we should start acting like it by putting our own citizens first. Call it snarky, call it blunt, but Vance’s approach is exactly the kind of leadership this country needs right now.

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