J.D. Vance Gives Shocking Defense of Racism Based on the Bible

J.D. Vance is now offering a religious justification for the bigoted immigration policies touted by Donald Trump and himself.

Vance on Saturday appeared at Christian nationalist preacher Lance Wallnau’s election-season revival tour in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, hoping to appeal to the right-wing Christian population, which has always been a key part of the Republican base.

While sitting for an interview with Pastor Jason Howard, the leader of the nearby Sanctuary church, Vance defended his campaign’s immigration policies while answering questions about faith, invoking a “Christian idea that you owe the strongest duty to your family.”

“It doesn’t mean that you have to be mean to other people, but it means that your first duty as an American leader is to the people of your own country,” said Vance.

Vance said supporters of himself and Trump “should not let Kamala Harris claim the high ground on compassion,” saying President Biden and her immigration policies are “a disgrace.” Vance said he and Trump’s immigration plan will “maximize compassion,” despite the fact that it calls for mass deportations .

Vance’s comments seem to be defending his previous racist rhetoric against Haitian immigrants, particularly repeating a disproven story that they are capturing and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. The result has been violent threats against schools, hospitals, and government buildings in the town, for which Vance and Trump refuse to take responsibility, even after some Haitian immigrants filed charges against them. Some Republicans have echoed Trump’s comments with their own racist statements .

Trump has pushed more racist rhetoric against other towns that have welcomed immigrants from Haiti, including Charleroi, Pennsylvania , drawing a backlash from town officials. One would hope that the Democrats would speak out against the racism and regressive immigration policies, but their response has been lacking.