On Wednesday, JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, joined renowned podcaster Joe Rogan for an in-depth discussion highlighting various topics.

In his first comments regarding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, he also discussed his thoughts on transgender rights and shared his favorite Netflix guilty pleasure, among other topics.

Rogan is the host of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the most popular podcast on Spotify, boasting around 14.5 million followers. His listener base mainly consists of young men, a crucial voting group that Trump and Vance are aiming to mobilize for the 2024 election.

Vance’s guest appearance on the podcast occurs shortly after Rogan’s discussion with Trump occurred less than a week before the highly debated 2024 election, following their conversation which touched on various topics including aliens and election interference. During their three-hour dialogue, Rogan frequently expressed his agreement with Vance and raised concerns about Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s qualifications for her role.

The influence of comedy continues to expand.

During the show, Vance often mentioned his wife and two daughters, portraying himself as a “pretty boring guy.” He not only engaged in detailed discussions about policies but also shared glimpses into his personal life. He expressed his admiration for the Netflix series ‘Emily in Paris,’ calling it “a masterpiece.”

Here are some significant moments from the podcast episode.

Anti-trans discourse

Rogan and Vance engaged in a deep discussion regarding transgender rights, particularly focusing on gender-affirming care for young people and the issue of whether individuals should compete on sports teams that align with their gender identity.

Senator JD Vance recently shared his thoughts on the risks he perceives in athletic competitions for young girls. During an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he expressed concern for his two-year-old daughter, stating, “As a father, I worry about her participating in sports where she might face serious harm.”

Vance expressed concerns about the implications of having a six-foot-one male athlete competing against her in sports. Additionally, she pointed out that affluent parents might pressure their children into undergoing gender reassignment surgeries to enhance their chances of gaining admission to prestigious colleges and universities. Vance emphasized that for middle-class or upper-middle-class white parents, the primary focus often revolves around their child’s college prospects.

He mentioned that for many upper-middle-class students, gaining admission to prestigious schools like Harvard or Yale has become significantly more challenging. He added that one way these individuals can engage with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) systems in the country is by identifying as transgender.

Vance further suggested that he wouldn’t be shocked if Trump garnered support from what he termed “the regular gay community,” as they largely seek to have their own space without interference.

“Now there’s a plethora of extreme issues being discussed,” they noted, expressing concern over the consideration of providing pharmaceutical treatments to children as young as nine.

During the interview, Vance remarked that he feels President Joe Biden is inadvertently assisting Donald Trump in his election bid. This statement was inspired by Biden’s earlier remarks where he referred to Trump supporters as “garbage.”

Biden’s ‘garbage’ remarks

Vance added humorously that he believes these comments are counterproductive for Biden and may actually benefit Trump’s campaign.

Biden faced criticism from both Republican and some Democratic circles for his statements, which the White House clarified were aimed at a specific group of supporters.

Vance discussed a comedian from a Trump rally who made the controversial remark about Puerto Rico being a “floating island of garbage.” He suggested that this comment was likely aimed at supporting Trump, especially in light of the backlash Biden has faced.

“Once we emerge victorious, I’ll be convinced that Joe Biden was actually trying to assist us all along,” Vance stated. He also brought up an instance where Biden humorously donned a Trump 2024 hat during his trip to Pennsylvania on September 11th.

I would wager $20 that Biden is considering voting for Trump and $100 that his son, Hunter Biden, would also prefer the Republican candidate over Kamala Harris.

After exiting the 2024 race in July, Biden backed Harris and has continuously supported her campaign since then.

Climate change

In an extended conversation about environmental issues, Vance claimed he didn’t hold a strong opinion on the significance of carbon footprints.

“It’s fascinating how the environmental movement in the U.S. focuses solely on carbon footprints without addressing other pressing issues, like our current high obesity rates,” Vance pointed out.

Rogan expressed concern over the fact that “there’s profit to be made from the green movement,” specifically mentioning Bill Gates, who has poured billions into climate technology initiatives.

The podcaster mentioned an unverified claim from his discussion with Trump regarding wind turbines, which are a renewable energy source. Trump suggested that these turbines might be harming and even killing whales, but there is no scientific proof to back this up. The majority of known whale fatalities caused by humans are primarily due to ship strikes and getting caught in fishing gear.

Where was Vance during The Trump Shooting?

Vance shared with Rogan that he was playing mini golf with his family in Ohio when he found out about Trump being shot in the ear at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, back in June.

“At first, I thought they had actually killed him. When you see the video from Trump’s rally on July 13, he grabs his ear and then collapses,” Vance recalled after watching the footage. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, they just killed him.'”

Vance, a veteran of the Marine Corps, shared his initial response upon hearing about the assassination.

“Initially, I was really angry, but then I switched to survival mode,” he recounted. “I quickly picked up my kids, hurried them into the car, drove home, and loaded all my firearms. Essentially, I stood guard at our front door; that was how I handled it.”

Rogan discusses Harris

Throughout the podcast, Rogan raised doubts about Harris’ presidential campaign on several occasions.

“It’s odd that everyone is just going along with the idea that this person—who holds the record for being the most unpopular vice president—is somehow going to be the answer to our problems.”

He expressed to Vance that “the media swiftly shifted its stance and portrayed her as the answer to the problem.”

He commented on Harris’ campaign, saying, “It’s alarming that this is occurring without a primary. As long as they prevent her from engaging in discussions where she can express herself, they are able to maintain this narrative.”

There was a moment when Harris was in discussions to join Rogan’s podcast. Recently, he mentioned that while Harris had agreed to be on his show, he turned down the opportunity because it required him to travel and he preferred a longer conversation than what was feasible.

“I genuinely hope to have an enjoyable discussion and connect with her as a person,” Rogan expressed.

There has been talk regarding the potential for an interview with Harris. “I truly hope we can arrange it,” was the sentiment expressed.