Vice President Vance met with college students at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday, along with his friend and late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Vance and Erica Kirk addressed thousands of students on a field on the university campus as part of the Turning Point USA tour. Vance asked questions from attendees, as Charlie Kirk had done in several “Prove Me Wrong” events during Turning Point USA college programs.
“If you need to work on a question, please don’t be afraid, think about it, speak up,” Vance said. “We’re all here to have a good conversation and we all support it.”
In one of the more controversial exchanges of the evening, a student pressed Vance on several issues. They asked Vance how he balances his intercultural marriage, about restrictive immigration policies, and whether they are fair to people who have gone through the process of entering the country.
“I don’t mean to create a ruckus here,” he said at one point.
Vance responded, “We’re not close to causing any trouble, don’t worry.”
Vance later drew applause when he told a questioner that his job as vice president is “not to look after the interests of the world; it’s to look after the people of the United States.”
A student asked Vance whether President Trump had a conflict of interest in setting policy toward Israel because one of his top donors, Miriam Adelson, was a staunch supporter of pro-Israel policies. Vance said he does not see a conflict of interest, noting that Adelson has been open about his views.
One attendee asked Vance about the issue of requiring Christianity in public schools, while another asked the vice president how he planned to extend an olive branch to Democrats to bridge the social and political divide in the country. Vance said he had areas of agreement with Democrats on policy, including breaking up corporate monopolies.
At one point, attendees chanted “48” at Vance, alluding to a possible 2028 run to serve as the 48th president.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, ladies and gentlemen,” Vance said.
The University of Mississippi event was the only stop on the Turning Point USA tour, which Charlie Kirk’s widow Erica Kirk attended. Other conservatives, such as Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson, have participated in other campus stops in recent weeks.
Vance was a close personal friend of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University in September. Erica Kirk has since taken over As head of Turning Point USA.
Charlie Kirk built a large following by traveling to college campuses to hold events where he would debate students on various issues. Vance said his intention in attending Wednesday’s event was to keep Kirk’s memory and mission alive.
