Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance has blasted the Associated Press for publishing a headline that implied he had dismissed school shootings as a "fact of life." Vance's spokesperson accused the AP of "brazenly lying" about the politician's comments.
Former President Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance have responded to the tragic school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, expressing their condolences and offering proposals for addressing the issue of school safety.
In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, Vance spokesperson William Martin condemned the Associated Press for publishing a headline that misrepresented Vance's remarks on school shootings. The headline, which originally read "JD Vance says school shootings are a ‘fact of life,’ calls for better security," falsely implied that Vance had dismissed school shootings as unavoidable.
JD Vance Condemns AP for Misleading Headline on School Shootings
Martin asserted that Vance's actual statement was the opposite of what the AP claimed. He stated, "This is yet another case of the fake news media brazenly lying about a Republican politician. Senator Vance said exactly the opposite of what the Associated Press claimed."
Martin further attacked the AP, accusing it of losing credibility and being willing to lie to support Democrats. He contrasted Vance's stance with that of Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, accusing her of advocating for the removal of police officers from schools, which he said would endanger children.
JD Vance Condemns AP for Misleading Headline on School Shootings
Vance, speaking at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, acknowledged the recent school shooting in Georgia and expressed his dismay over the frequency of such incidents. He stated, "I don’t like that this is a fact of life. But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets."
However, the AP headline failed to convey the context of Vance's statement. Vance went on to emphasize the need for bolstering security measures in schools to prevent potential shooters from entering and harming students. He called for increased security measures to deter individuals intent on carrying out attacks in schools.
JD Vance Condemns AP for Misleading Headline on School Shootings
The AP later amended the headline to acknowledge the context of Vance's comments, reading "JD Vance says he laments that school shootings are a ‘fact of life’ and calls for better security." The AP also deleted the original post on its website.
The Harris-Walz campaign criticized both Trump and Vance for their views on school shootings. Spokesperson Ammar Moussa stated, "Donald Trump and JD Vance think school shootings are a ‘fact of life’ and ‘we have to get over it,’ while Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know we can take action."
JD Vance Condemns AP for Misleading Headline on School Shootings
Moussa accused the Republican candidates of prioritizing the interests of the National Rifle Association over the safety of children. He emphasized the need for action to address gun violence and prevent future school shootings.
