Fox News co-host Kayleigh McEnany argued that Democrats are giving a “gift” to President Donald Trump and Republicans going into the 2026 midterms.
During a sit-down interview on Saturday in America with Vice President JD Vance, the pair spoke about a wide range of topics.
McEnany and Vance spoke about the status of the Iran conflict, the administration’s push for the SAVE America Act (emphasizing voter ID), Vance’s response to personal attacks from Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, and Vance’s new book Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith (detailing his journey from atheism back to Christianity/Catholicism).
McEnany opened by asking for a readout of Vance’s recent lunch with GOP senators, where Iran dominated discussion alongside budget issues.
Vance said the president’s priority is passing the SAVE America Act, calling it “absurd” that the U.S. lacks voter ID.
On Iran, he described ongoing talks focused on maximizing oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, with prices dipping around $80/barrel.
He stated the U.S. has destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, conventional military, and significantly reduced its asymmetric capabilities.
The goal is now to assess whether Iran will make long-term changes for a better relationship.
If not, Vance said that pressure will continue via diplomatic, economic, and military tools to secure lower energy prices for Americans.
“I try to remind people that we’re really in the middle of the game here. This thing is not over. It’s obviously not at the beginning. We’re in the middle of the game… I feel quite confident we will get there, but we’re still a bit in the middle of the game,” Vance said.
On the Strait of Hormuz and a potential deal, Vance said the expectation is the same pre-conflict volume of oil.
McEnany then shifted to November’s midterm elections and how the rise of socialism will help Republicans.
Vance was also asked about personal attacks from Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Vance replied that he doesn’t “pay that guy much mind.”
He criticized El-Sayed as someone who claims to stand for working people yet opposed Trump policies that “have quite literally saved the auto industry” (and Michigan’s).
Vance argued El-Sayed does not support a prosperous economy allowing auto workers and others to raise families (ideally on a single wage), but instead favors taxing some to fund Democratic-favored interest groups.
True prosperity, he said, comes from rebuilding the middle class and industrial base.
He added that El-Sayed has gone after his kids and is “just kind of an odd guy,” and that resorting to personal insults (instead of policy for Michiganders) is telling.
“I think the guy is crazy and would be a terrible senator for the people of Michigan,” Vance argued.
“You have these voices in the Republican Party that are constructive. But the problem is they’re rubbing up against the Democrat voices, many of which you just read. I mean, that quote, if they go low, I’m going to the gutter, I guess gone are the days of Michelle Obama where they go high,” McEnany said.
“I’m not sure if those days were ever truly here, but at least they were in word rather than action. But I’m struck by what some of these Democrats have told The Hill. There is a Democratic senator. People are going to get hammered if we make a deal with Republicans,” McEnany argued.
“These people are so petrified of the same progressive left-wing flank that is animating the candidacy of Zohran Mamdani that they have to shut down the government and can’t even get military families paid,” she argued.
“It is a really striking place for the party. This is something to watch because it could come back and bite Democrats big time going into next year’s midterm elections,” McEnany described.
