JD Vance: Watergate would be a 12-hour news story today

U.S. Senator JD Vance believes the Watergate scandal, a defining moment in 20th-century American politics, would barely register in today's media environment. Speaking at the Richard Nixon presidential library, Vance argued that the scandal would be a "12-hour news story" and that the idea of it toppling a presidency is now "crazy."

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If Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be a 12-hour news story.

Vance, promoting his new book, drew parallels between the downfall of Nixon and the challenges faced by former President Donald Trump. He suggested that "the deep state" and similar institutions targeted both leaders. Trump, he noted, was impeached twice during his first term.

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The idea that it would have taken down a presidency is crazy.

While acknowledging the historical view of Watergate as a triumph of accountability, Vance stated that Trump and his allies are attempting to reshape public understanding of the scandal. He also praised Nixon's legacy, particularly his diplomatic successes in ending the Vietnam War and opening relations with China, calling him a "political genius."

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If you look at the story of how the deep state took down Richard Nixon, it’s not all that different from what the same groups of people the same institutions tried to do to Donald Trump in the first administration. There is a parallel.

Vance, widely considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, even drew comparisons between himself and Nixon, citing shared experiences such as being a "young senator," a "vice-president," a bestselling author, and being "hated by the media."

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It kind of sounds like JD Vance.