Watch: JD Vance’s immigration rant fact-checked, he persists, gets mic muted

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance had his microphone muted by moderators during a debate with Democratic rival Governor Tim Walz after disputing a fact-check on his claims about immigration. The moment unfolded during a tense exchange about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio.
The debate heated up when Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz hit out at Vance, the Ohio Senator, for repeating a debunked claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were “eating people’s pets.”
Walz pointed out that the immigrants had arrived legally and that Vance’s comments had led to terroristic threats against the city and its schools.
Vance, however, refused to recant and instead broadened his argument.
“In Springfield, Ohio, and in communities all across this country, you’ve got schools that are overwhelmed, you’ve got hospitals that are overwhelmed, you’ve got housing that is totally unaffordable because we brought in millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce homes,” he said.
CBS News moderator Margaret Brennan intervened with a fact check: “And just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status, temporary protected.”
This prompted a rebuke from Vance, who argued, “The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check, and since you’re fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.”
As Vance continued to speak over the moderators, discussing the asylum system, they decided to mute his microphone. “Gentlemen, the audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut,” Brennan said. “We have so much we want to get to.”
The decision to mute Vance’s mic angered Republicans, with his running mate, former President Donald Trump, lashing out on his Truth Social platform. “Brennan cut off JD’s mic to stop him from correcting her!” he posted.
However, the moderator’s move was in line with the debate rules announced beforehand by CBS News, which reserved the right to mute mics to maintain decorum. The moment marked one of the most chaotic exchanges in an otherwise civil debate.
Moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan also pressed both candidates on their past statements. Walz was questioned about his claim of being in China during the Tiananmen Square crackdown, while Vance was asked about his previous critical remarks about Trump.