US Vice President JD Vance said on June 25, 2026, that if the Watergate scandal happened today, it would only be a "12-hour news story" and would not lead to a presidential resignation [1, 2, 3]. He made the remarks while promoting his book Communion at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California [1, 2, 3].
Vance said, "If Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be a 12-hour news story. The idea that it would have taken down a presidency is crazy" [2]. He drew parallels between Nixon and former President Donald Trump, saying efforts by the "deep state" to bring Nixon down were similar to those against Trump during his first term. "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 Trump administration," he said [2].
Vance highlighted Nixon’s legacy beyond Watergate, saying it was "enjoying a bit of a renaissance." He noted Nixon’s diplomatic achievements such as ending the Vietnam War and opening relations with China [1, 3]. He also compared himself to Nixon, saying, "Young senator, vice-president, writes some bestselling books, is hated by the media. It kind of sounds like JD Vance" [2].
The Watergate scandal began in 1972 when five men linked to Nixon’s reelection campaign broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters, triggering a major political crisis [1, 2]. Nixon eventually resigned during his second term in August 1974 to avoid impeachment [1, 2, 3].
Vance’s comments at the Nixon Library revisited this history while promoting his book. The event on June 25 marks the latest public reflection on the enduring controversies and achievements of the 37th president.
