Transcript

VP JD Vance on How the GOP Can Fix Their Messaging Problem on Affordability and the Economy

From Megyn Kelly · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 11 min · 2,464 words · 32 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "VP JD Vance on How the GOP Can Fix Their Messaging Problem on Affordability and the Economy", an episode of Megyn Kelly published February 4, 2026 (11 min, about 2,464 words). It mentions 3 people, works and ideas, including Donald Trump, Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.

What this episode is about

The discussion centers on the GOP's need to improve its messaging regarding election integrity and affordability, emphasizing the importance of passing the Save Act to enhance voter ID measures and ensure that election processes reflect the will of the people. The conversation critiques the Democratic stance on voter ID laws, arguing that most voters support such measures as a means of safeguarding democracy.

Key takeaways

  • The Save Act: A bill promising ballot sovereignty faces a filibuster roadblock, highlighting Senate procedural quirks.
  • Voter ID debates reveal a divide: Democrats fear ballot integrity, yet most voters support basic ID checks.
  • Inflation has drained the average household by $3,000 under Biden, but Trump’s era had them $1,200 ahead.
  • Rents are falling—5 months in a row! Still, Americans feel poorer as they weigh recent gains against past losses.
  • GOP messaging struggles: Wins are overshadowed by media narratives, risking voter disengagement ahead of the midterms.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 3:00: Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, Donald Trump
  2. – 9:00: Donald Trump
  3. – 11:19: Birch Gold Group

Notable quotes from "VP JD Vance on How the GOP Can Fix Their Messaging Problem on Affordability and the Economy"

  • Attached to the filibuster, maybe they're a little too attached to Senate procedure. This is about the integrity of American democracy. like do the people control who they…
    about Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 · at
  • Yeah. a lot of people still suffering. President Trump says, Look, we've made a lot of progress, but the average American sitting at home doesn't feel it because the polls show that the numbers are not good for.
    about Donald Trump · at
  • There is a never- ending list of reasons that gold has risen over 700% in the last 20 years and a never- ending list of reasons smart Americans diversify a portion of their savings.
    about Birch Gold Group · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Donald Trump — Person · Referenced political figure (former president; benchmark for economic comparison) · 3 mentions · first at
    Used as a comparison point for wages/affordability and as a foil in discussion of media treatment and 2028 politics.

Books & papers

Sponsors

  • Birch Gold Group — Company · Sponsor · 1 mention · first at
    Promoted as a solution for diversifying savings into precious metals, especially during economic uncertainty.

Full transcript with timestamps

How about election integrity here at home? There's a bill right here. The Save Act. Uh let's get the Save Act. No I

What's going to happen with that? Well, we're working very hard right now to get the Senate to approve it because if the Senate approves it, we think the House would approve it, too. Now, that would require, I think, some Republican senators who maybe they're a little too attached to the filibuster, maybe they're a little too attached to Senate procedure. This is about the integrity of American democracy. like do the people control who they elect or do some shady people it's it's like who who actually controls the people who cast the ballots or the people who count the ballots? We want the sovereignty to be with the people who cast the ballots and that's why we have to get the Save Act passed. And you'll hear people say all the time and I I love this argument.

They'll say, "Well, if you look at this this precinct, you know, only three illegal aliens voted in this election." Number one, that's three illegal aliens too many. And number two, if it's not a big problem, then why not just allow us to check ID and exercise some basic precautions to prevent illegal aliens from voting? I never quite understand the person who says, on the one hand, this never happens. And on the other hand, your effort to prevent it from happening is a threat to American democracy, which is fundamentally the Democrat's argument. By the way, it's like an 8515 issue. Most Democrats want voter ID because they want to protect their own vote. But the elected leaders don't elected leaders don't because they know that the more control they give to the people who are counting the ballots as opposed to those who are casting the ballots, the more control they will have because they the

DC is this where the rubber meets the road like on the filibuster and whether we get rid of it which John Thun doesn't want a lot of

I hope that it is that is what we're working very hard to make happen. Now, there there is also some in between solutions we're working on. Like, for example, could you allow the Democrats to preserve the filibuster, but actually force them to go and do a real filibuster? Like, not where a procedural paperwork filibuster, but stand there and talk. If you really want to prevent um us from checking ID before votes, if you really want to ensure that illegal aliens have the right to vote, then stand on the Senate floor Cy Booker style for 30 hours and defend that to the American people. At the very least, then we'd have a real debate. We're working on it. I can't tell you how it's going to turn out because I can't predict 51 GOP senators, but we are making some progress.

Let's talk affordability for a bit here. Yeah. Um, a lot of people still suffering. President Trump says, "Look, we've made a lot of progress, but you know, the average American sitting at home doesn't feel it because the polls show that the numbers are not good for the administration on the economy." And that just reflects what people are feeling,

of course. So, what what can actually happen, let's say, between now and November, speaking of the midterms.

Yeah. so that people actually feel better about what's happening in their wallet.

Yeah. So, if if I will say if you look at the numbers on affordability, they're starting to move in our direction a little bit, but it's it's there's clear movement from where there was say four or five months ago. I think that's a good thing. But but here's the way that I think about it, Megan, is is if you go just just dollars and cents, the average American household lost about $3,000 of net wages during the B administration. That's through inflation. That's through higher taxes. The average American household, now this is about a month old, but had gained about $1,200 during the Trump administration. So, there's a good news and there's a bad news. The good news there is that compared to last year, you were $1,200 richer than you were. The bad news is that compared to four or five years ago, you're about $2,800 or I guess $1,800 poorer than you were. Okay. So, we recognize there's still a lot of work to do. I I don't

think that there's anything to do, Megan, other than to do the work. Um, you know, we continue to have a lot of capital coming into the country. That means higher wages, more jobs for the American people. We continue to see grocery prices, I think, starting to come down a little bit. There are a couple of categories, you know, we we really worry about, beef in particular, that we're working very hard to bring down, not for the midterms, but just because we want the American people uh to buy some ground beef and to buy some steak if they so choose. Um, you know, there are things like cars and houses where we're seeing some real progress.

Rents have now declined five months in a row. That's a big thing that's happening. So, it's one of these things where I don't think you're going to be able to trick the American people. They know they got $3,000 poor during the Biden administration. I think they're going to judge us by how much we've made them wealthier. And I think that come November, the verdict there is going to be positive. But we just have to keep working at it.

The um the number one question that my audience wanted me to ask you. Oh god. I know. I was actually surprised by it was they think the Republicans suck at messaging.

Okay. They want to know what the administration is going to do to get their arguments out more strongly on immigration and on the progress that they've made. I think there's a frustration actually amongst the GOP base that there have been a lot of wins,

but people don't know it and that there actually is a sound immigration policy, but they let the left run with this narrative and the media is only too happy to spread

lies about the four the 5-year-old boy who is wrongfully deported and all that, right?

Is there is there a plan? There there is. I mean, one is the president and I are just going to get on the road a lot more in the next the next eight, nine months. And you know, part of this is you've got to look CBS, NBC, ABC, there's always going to be an editorial slant to those networks, but they're also declining in power. So, I do things like this. I talk to you. I talk to your your viewers through this conversation. But most importantly, we get out on the road constantly because most people still consume their news through their local affiliate, right? If if their local CBS guy is saying, "Oh, the vice president came to town, the president came to town, this is what they're talking about." That's how you get the message out there. It's non-traditional media. I think we were very good about this in the campaign in 2024. It's something we want to get back to in 2026 is actually taking the

message to people. You know, going on a lot of podcasts and a lot of the non-traditional media, which frankly, I think has more narrative power uh than the traditional media does. Uh you know, that that that that's part of what we just have to do. I think the first year we're so focused on governing. Now we've got to go out there and talk a little bit more about what we've achieved. I do think there's a lot to hang our hat on, to be proud of, that the American people should be proud of. But you're right, we got to get out there and talk about it more.

Um, somebody who's not shy about talking at all is Gavin Newsome. He's been everywhere. Um, Vogue really loves him. I don't know if you saw the Vogue piece on him, but they're really Oh, they

I don't make it a habit to read Vogue or to read about Gavin Newsome. Let me I kid you not, this is the lead line of their piece. Let's get this out of the way. He's embarrassingly handsome. His hair seasoned with silver, at ease with his own eminence as he delivers his final State of the State address. It must drive Trump nuts. Newsome life, ardent, energetic, a glimmer of optimism in his eye, Kennedy-esque. Do you expect Vogue to give you this same treatment when you sit down with them?

Completely unbiased reporting. Uh, that that is like something out of Pravda. Yes, that's that's what Pravda would have written about. Stalin. That is crazy.

That's what you're up against. Yeah, but I mean, how many people read vote? Nobody. But I really, it's just it was just a segue into 2028

and um whether favorite topic whether you think uh there there could be a square off with the Kennedy-esque Gavin Newsome and possibly yourself.

Well, we we'll see. I mean, I look, I'll give you the answer I've given to other people, Megan, which is it's so far in the future.

I don't want the answer you've given to other people. Yeah, but it's the truth. And all I can tell you is the truth is look, I I think that if we take care of business, the politics in 2028 will figure itself out. And if we don't take care of business, there is no amount of salesmanship that is going to change that. You just got to actually do a good job at the job that we have right now. And I think the American people hopefully in 2, three, four years say, you know what, we want another term of the governance of of this agenda. We don't want to go back to the crazy woke Democrats. We want to double down on reinvesting in America, on rebuilding the American middle class.

I think that's ultimately what they're going to decide. I can't predict the future, but it's why I'm focused on the job that I have now. The other thing, Megan, is is I made this observation and I I think that it would be so warping and and and and because of that, very bad for the American people if I woke up every day and thought to myself, how do I maximize my chances in 2028? Because sometimes the answer to that question, in fact, probably most of the time, is going to be a little bit different than how do I maximize the chances of giving the American people a win, right? I got to focus on this job or I'm going to hurt a lot of people who really depend on me.

What can I just ask you about the personal considerations that go into it? You're expecting a fourth baby.

Yes. You have a young, vibrant, very smart, and successful wife. Yeah. Uh who had a big career before you guys got here.

Sure. So what will factor in to whether you actually do run? Oh, I mean a huge factor. Look, it if we ever have that conversation seriously, I it's, you know, do the kids actually want to do it? Do they like this? Right. I mean, so far they're they're very happy. They've actually thrived in it. I think our 8-year-old struggles more with it than our our two younger kids because, you know, they're both you've met them, but the two younger kids are extroverts. Radisha says the two younger kids are like me and the the other kid is like her.

So he doesn't like the attention. and he doesn't like the cameras. He doesn't like that people are always offering to do special things for him. Even even when the special thing is nice, he just kind of wants to blend in a little bit. So, I I I I think the question is going to be, can the family support it happily? Can we keep our our, you know, our family healthy? And if the answer is yes, then obviously that's a notch in favor of doing it. If the answer is no, I'd say that's pretty dispositive towards not doing it. But again, we'll have that conversation in a few years when we've actually done a good job here. And can can have that conversation with, I think, a little bit more of first of all, it's there staring you in the face. It's not 3 years in the future. It's now,

but also just where we have a little bit more sense of of what is good for the kids. I mean, my first obligation, as much as I love the American people, it's to my wife and my kids.

And we got to keep them happy. And so far so good. International disputes, inflation, rising national debt, digital currency. There is a never- ending list of reasons that gold has risen over 700% in the last 20 years and a never- ending list of reasons smart Americans diversify a portion of their savings into precious metals with Birch Gold Group. Gold can thrive during uncertainty, which is why it's a crucial part of a balance strategy. It gives you peace of mind given all the events that could impact the US economy. See if holding gold in a tax sheltered retirement account is right for you.

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Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "VP JD Vance on How the GOP Can Fix Their Messaging Problem on Affordability and the Economy"?

Megyn Kelly (Guest), J.D. Vance (Guest).

What is "VP JD Vance on How the GOP Can Fix Their Messaging Problem on Affordability and the Economy" about?

The discussion centers on the GOP's need to improve its messaging regarding election integrity and affordability, emphasizing the importance of passing the Save Act to enhance voter ID measures and ensure that election processes reflect the will of the people. The conversation critiques the Democratic stance on voter ID laws, arguing that most voters support such measures as a means of…

What is mentioned in this Megyn Kelly episode?

3 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "VP JD Vance on How the GOP Can Fix Their Messaging Problem on Affordability and the Economy"?

The episode runs 11 min; the transcript is about 2,464 words in 32 timestamped sections.

More from Megyn Kelly

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated February 5, 2026.