Senator JD Vance (Ohio) stands by Donald Trump and the former president’s false claims that Venezuelan gangs have “invaded and conquered” Aurora, Colorado.
On Sunday, Republican vice presidential candidate Martha Raddatz tried to take aim after she presented facts that disputed Trump’s statements that criminal migrant gangs had taken over the city.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Venezuelan gangs “taken over‘the suburb of Colorado. He made the false statement again during a meeting in town Fridaywhen he also called the area a “war zone.” The Aurora Police Department did just that refuted his accusations.
“I will save Aurora and every city that has been invaded and conquered. These cities have been conquered,” Trump said on Friday CBS News. ‘Explain that to your governor; he has no idea they have been conquered. And we will put these cruel and bloodthirsty criminals in prison or deport them from our country.”
During the meeting, Trump vowed to target migrants he believes are criminals, labeling his mission to return them to their native countries as “Operation Aurora.”
Mike Coffman, the Republican mayor of Aurora, denounced Trump’s claims, calling them “heavily exaggerated” statements that have “unfairly damaged the city’s identity and sense of security.”
On ABC’s “This weekVance struggled to respond to Raddatz’s comment that only a “handful” of apartment complexes in Aurora had actually been affected by Venezuelan gang activity.
“So, do you support Donald Trump in his claims that, according to the Republican mayor, are grossly exaggerated and have damaged the city’s identity and sense of security?” she asked. ‘I understand what you’re saying about some people being left behind. But he makes these statements that the mayor flatly disputes.”
The Republican vice presidential candidate argued that Coffman’s claim that Trump was “exaggerating” meant there was an “element of truth” in Trump’s statements about Aurora.
When Vance tried to suggest that Trump heard concerns about the issue from people “on the ground” at Friday’s meeting, Raddatz immediately shut him down.
“I’m going to stop you because I know exactly what happened,” she interjected. “The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes – condominiums and the mayor said our dedicated police officers acted on these concerns. A handful of problems.”
Vance then claimed that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris was responsible for Aurora’s problems.
“Only a handful of apartment complexes in America have been taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris’s open border?” Vance argued.
Vance then accused Raddatz of “whining” Trump’s words.
“You seem more focused on nitpicking everything Donald Trump has said, rather than recognizing that apartment complexes in the United States of America are being taken over by violent gangs,” he told the host.
“Unfortunately, if you let in millions of people, most of whom have not been vetted and most of whom you don’t know who they really are, you’re going to have these kinds of problems,” he continued.
Vance added: “Kamala Harris, 94 executive orders that reversed Donald Trump’s successful border policies. We knew things like this would happen. Bragged about opening the border, and now we have the consequences, and we live with it.”
Ultimately, Raddatz put an end to Vance’s claims by abruptly ending their discussion.
“Let’s put an end to that by saying ‘the city is not invaded or taken over,’ as Donald Trump said,” Raddatz said.
Watch the excerpt from ‘This Week’ below.