In response to Trump VP contenders Doug Burgum and J.D. Vance proving their MAGA credentials on Sunday shows today, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement: 

“Donald Trump’s VP contenders are desperate to out-MAGA each other and endorse his toxic brand of extremism, incessant lies, and dangerous attacks on our democracy. Trump’s potential running mates continue to refuse to accept November’s election results, whitewash January 6, support his cruel anti-choice agenda, and endorse his calls for revenge and retribution. It’s more clear than ever that Trump will be running alongside an ultra-MAGA minion who will put loyalty to Trump above all else – including our democracy and the rule of law.”

Trump VP contender Doug Burgum AGAIN refused to commit to accepting November’s election results and whitewashed the violence of January 6.

Kirsten Welker, NBC: “Can you commit here and now today to accepting the election results?”

Burgum: “These hypothetical questions that keep coming up… I’m not going to comment on an election before it happens.”

Welker: “You won’t commit to accepting the election results, governor?”

Burgum: “I will commit if they’re free and fair.”

Welker: “Should [Trump] as the presidential nominee unequivocally accept the election results?”

Burgum: “I heard him on Thursday night say he would accept the results of the election if it was free and fair and secure. 

Welker: “Donald Trump has yet to concede. Is that not undemocratic? Particularly for someone who is running to be the leader of this country and the free world again?” 

 Donald Trump at the end of his term on January 20, left the White House, we had a smooth transition [after the 2020 election].”

Welker: “January 6 was not exactly a smooth transition, governor.”

Burgum: “Well I think we have to say that there was a smooth transition.”

NBC News: “Burgum, like other contenders, has declined to comment on whether he would accept the 2024 election results.”

Burgum tried to prove his extreme anti-choice credentials by downplaying the horrifying reality that Trump created by overturning Roe v. Wade – including the cruel abortion ban that Burgum himself signed. 

Welker: “You said America was an unsafe place for women before Roe v. Wade. So by your own standard, Governor, is America unsafe for women as a result of Roe being overturned?”

Burgum: “No, it’s not. … I’ve evolved on that position.”

The Hill: “As governor of North Dakota, Burgum signed one of the strictest abortion bills in the nation last year, banning abortions in the state after six weeks of pregnancy.”

New York Times: “North Dakota became the latest state on Monday to enact a near-total ban on abortion, just one month after the State Supreme Court temporarily blocked a similar ban from taking effect. Under the new law, an abortion in the case of rape or incest would be permissible only in the first six weeks of pregnancy, a time when most women have not yet realized they are pregnant.”

ABC News: “North Dakota court keeps strict abortion ban in place even in cases of medical emergencies”

Trump VP contender J.D. Vance defended Trump’s calls for retribution and threats of taking revenge against his political opponents. 

Margaret Brennan, CBS: “Trump on that debate stage on Thursday suggested that Joe Biden could be criminally prosecuted after he leaves office. … In a Trump-Vance administration, would your Justice Department prosecute Joe Biden and if so for what?”

Vance: “That would be the responsibility of the attorney general, but Donald Trump did not say he’s trying to throw his political opponent in jail.”

Axios: “Trump again hinted that if wins in November, his Justice Department could prosecute Biden. For what, exactly, isn’t clear. Trump has talked a lot about retribution against Biden and political foes on the campaign trail. He said Thursday night that his retribution would be ‘success,’ even as he threatened Biden with legal action.”

Shannon Bream, Fox: “You heard your colleague [John Fetterman] say Trump is about division and revenge, your response?”

Vance: “If you actually watch the performance of President Trump at the debate, that’s not what it’s about at all.”

Associated Press: “Trump declines to rule out abusing power to seek retribution if he returns to the White House”

HuffPost: “Trump Says Revenge ‘Can Be Justified’ In Latest Threat To Political Enemies”

Washington Post: “Trump touts authoritarian vision for second term: ‘I am your justice’”

The Guardian: “Donald Trump says he will lock up his political enemies if he is president again.”

Axios: “Trump says he would have ‘every right to go after’ political enemies if elected”

NBC News: “The former president has done at least five interviews since his guilty verdict. In all five, he has talked about possible retribution.”

Vance also whitewashed January 6 with baseless lies.

Vance: “We all know and Nancy Pelosi has admitted on camera that she could have requested more National Guard troops. She bears some responsibility for the fact that they weren’t there at the Capitol [on January 6].”

Associated Press: “Pelosi did not block the National Guard from the Capitol on Jan. 6”

PolitiFact: “Nancy Pelosi was not behind Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, despite repeated debunked claims”

Vance – who wants to reward Putin for invading Ukraine, just like Trump – also echoed Trump’s comments attacking our NATO allies. 

Bream: “What is President Trump’s position on staying in NATO and coming to the defense under Article 5 should someone be attacked?”  

[…]

Vance: “What Trump has said very clearly is that Europe has to step up. … We don’t want NATO countries  to be welfare clients of the  United States… the Germans have to step up, the French have to step up, they need to do more for their own security… they are not our clients.”

NBC News: “Republican Senator [J.D. Vance] says Ukraine should cede land and cut a deal with Putin to end the war”

Mediaite: “J.D. Vance Calls Depriving Ukraine of Aid His Second Biggest Priority in Senate”

CNN: “Trump says he would encourage Russia to ‘do whatever the hell they want’ to any NATO country that doesn’t pay enough”

Rolling Stone: “​​Trump Plots to Pull Out of NATO — If He Doesn’t Get His Way”

Burgum and Vance BOTH defended Trump’s incessant lies on the debate stage earlier this week. 

Welker: “Donald Trump made more than 30 false claims during that debate. … Do you think he should stop saying things that are not true?”

Burgum: “Everything that [Trump] said on Thursday night he’s been saying before. So this is not news.”

Brennan: “Fewer voters thought [Trump] was truthful compared with President Biden… If he has such a strong platform, why make false claims?”

Vance: “I think the media is running a lot of interference on this stuff.”

CNN: “Trump made more than 30 false claims during CNN’s presidential debate”

Wall Street Journal: “Trump’s Debate Performance Marked by Familiar Theme: Falsehoods”

New York Times: “Trump’s Debate Performance: Relentless Attacks and Falsehoods”