AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Vice President JD Vance spoke at EDSI in Auburn Hills, condemning the recent attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township and pledging a continued focus on keeping Americans safe.
“When something happens to any member of our American family, this particular incident happened to Jewish members of our American family. It is something that all of us have to stand up and say it’s disgusting. It’s unacceptable,” said Vance.
I asked Vance about security concerns at home amid the ongoing war with Iran and the local synagogue attack, he said, “It is an obsessive focus of the entire US government to understand where the threats are, where people might attack innocent Americans, and what we can do to address it, to get ahead of it, and if, God forbid, something does happen, to respond to it as quickly as possible.”
Michigan State University Turning Point Chapter President Ty Bommarito arrived with concerns about the U.S. being drawn into another long-term conflict in the Middle East, but said he left feeling reassured by Vance’s comments.
“Keeping it focused on that specific mission of they can’t have nuclear weapons, that is very comforting to me, and it will be a lot of my members, too,” he said.
With gas prices rising amid the conflict, Vance said relief is on the way.
“We recognize this is an issue. We are fighting against it, and we promise that when this conflict draws to a close, when this operation draws to a close, we’re going to see those energy prices come back down to reality,” Vance said.
Vance also addressed a question about President Donald Trump’s threat last month to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
“The President’s attitude to Canada is they are an important ally. They’re important trading partners, especially for folks in this region of our country. But Canada has taken advantage of the United States of America for far too long,” he said.
The bridge, which Canada is paying to build, is set to open this spring.