Do You Hear Yourself?’ [WATCH]

Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), defended Trump’s controversial remarks about gang activity in Aurora, Colorado, during an interview on ABC News’s This Week with Martha Raddatz.

Trump had claimed that gangs from Venezuela had overtaken parts of the city, a statement that drew criticism, particularly from Aurora’s Republican mayor, Mike Coffman, who called the claims “grossly exaggerated.”

On Friday, Trump visited Aurora and delivered a 90-minute speech where he alleged that South American gangs had taken over the city.

Patriotic beachwear for freedom lovers! Shop now and get 10% off with code RB10. Vet & LEO-founded.

Aurora’s mayor, however, was quick to counter Trump’s claims, stating that while there have been issues with gang activity in some areas, the situation has been largely confined to “a handful of apartment complexes,” and local law enforcement had already addressed those concerns.

During his appearance on This Week, Vance avoided directly addressing Mayor Coffman’s rebuttal, instead focusing on the core issue of public safety. “The mayor said they were exaggerated,” Vance initially remarked before Raddatz corrected him, saying the mayor had called the claims “grossly exaggerated.”

Vance responded by pointing out that, despite the exaggeration, there is still some truth to the concerns. “There’s got to be some element of truth here,” Vance said.

He added that Trump had spoken directly with residents on the ground in Aurora, many of whom expressed fear over the presence of Venezuelan gangs in their neighborhoods.

Raddatz pressed Vance further, quoting Mayor Coffman’s statement that the gang activity was limited to a small number of apartment complexes and that the city itself had not been “invaded or occupied” by migrant gangs, as Trump had suggested.

Vance countered by emphasizing the seriousness of even limited gang activity, arguing that the focus should be on the broader issue of crime and immigration policy. “Martha, do you hear yourself? Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over, and Donald Trump is the problem, and not Kamala Harris’s open border,” Vance said, turning the discussion toward the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies.

Vance continued to defend Trump’s statements, asserting that the influx of unvetted migrants is contributing to the rise of gang violence in communities across the country.

He expressed his deep concern about the state of American cities, saying, “We’ve got to get American communities in a safe space again. And unfortunately, when you let people in by the millions, most of whom are unvetted, most of whom you don’t know who they really are, you’re going to have problems like this.”

Raddatz: “The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes… A handful!”@JDVance: “Do you hear yourself? Only a handful of apartment complexes were taken over by Venezuelan gangs and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris’ open border?”

pic.twitter.com/VY4Ai35YJk

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 13, 2024

Trump’s visit to Aurora marked the unveiling of his proposed “Operation Aurora,” a nationwide initiative aimed at arresting and deporting undocumented immigrant gang members.

Trump stated that the program would be modeled on the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law that grants the president authority to detain or deport individuals from enemy nations during times of war.

“I’m announcing today that upon taking office, we will have an operation Aurora at the federal level.

To expedite the removal of the savage gangs, I will invoke the alien enemies act of 1798..to target and dismantle every migrant criminal network operating on American soil.”… pic.twitter.com/XgxRaLOi9v

— Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) October 12, 2024

The plan would specifically target undocumented immigrants involved in gang activity.

Despite the heated debate over the extent of gang influence in Aurora, Mayor Coffman expressed his optimism about Trump’s visit, hoping to show the former president that the national narrative surrounding the city was inaccurate. “There are no apartment complexes under gang control, the city’s not under gang control, Venezuelan gang control,” Coffman said, attempting to set the record straight.

The discussion surrounding Trump’s comments and Vance’s defense highlights the broader debate over immigration, crime, and public safety—a central issue for both Trump and his supporters as the 2024 election approaches.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.