"I truly feel proud to stand with President Donald Trump" – Vice President JD Vance

"I truly feel proud to stand with President Donald Trump" – Vice President JD Vance

U.S. Vice President JD Vance reaffirmed his loyalty to President Donald Trump, while also expressing gratitude toward billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and showing empathy for Musk’s criticism of Trump’s expansive budget proposal.

Vance made these remarks in a podcast interview with comedian Theo Von, which was published on Saturday. The interview was reportedly recorded on Thursday, and both Von and Vance posted about it on social media the same day.

Vance said, "My loyalties are always going to be with the president," but also referred to Musk as "an incredible entrepreneur."

As tensions continue between Trump and Musk, Vance appeared to strike a middle ground with his comments. He praised Musk’s efforts to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse” through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), founded under Musk's leadership.

However, Vance also described Musk as an emotional figure—an entrepreneur increasingly frustrated by the realities of political life.

“Elon’s new to politics, right? His businesses are constantly under attack. People are even firebombing his cars,” said Vance, referring to incidents of vandalism against Tesla vehicles and facilities.

“I think he’s gone through a lot since getting involved in politics, and that’s wearing him down emotionally.”

Regarding the bill at the center of the Trump-Musk conflict—The One, Big, Beautiful Bill—Vance commented, “It’s a good bill.”

“It’s not perfect. The process in D.C.—if you’re a business leader, you’re probably going to be frustrated with it, because it’s more bureaucratic, more slow-moving.”

Still, he issued a warning: “It’s a huge mistake for Musk to go after the president like this,” explaining that it would not only harm the country but ultimately backfire on Musk himself.

“I hope Elon eventually comes back into the fold. Maybe that’s not possible now because he’s gone so nuclear,” Vance added.

Notably, the public dispute between Trump and Musk erupted on Thursday after the president harshly criticized Musk for opposing a Republican policy measure due to its projected impact on the deficit. The clash quickly triggered reactions in Congress and also affected Tesla’s stock.