Vice President JD Vance has sharply criticized one of the White House’s most prominent media adversaries.
On Friday, Politico published a report targeting a key member of President Donald Trump’s administration, and Vance quickly pushed back.
The article, headlined “‘His inexperience shines through’: Steve Witkoff struggles to manage Russia as Trump peace envoy,” outlined the alleged difficulties faced by Trump’s special envoy for Peace Missions. Politico’s Felicia Schwartz detailed what she described as Witkoff’s challenges in trying to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Some frustrated U.S., Ukrainian and European officials say part of the problem is the go-it-alone style of Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for peace missions and go-to negotiator on Ukraine,” Schwartz wrote. “He has refused to consult with experts and allies, leaving him uninformed at times and unprepared at others, according to seven people familiar with internal discussions.”
The report added, “Two said he misses the mark by viewing the conflict through a real estate lens, like a land dispute.”
Vance responded sharply on X shortly after the report went live.
“This story from Politico is journalistic malpractice,” Vance wrote Friday. “But it’s more than that: it’s a foreign influence operation meant to hurt the administration and one of our most effective members.
“Notice how all of the people attacking Steve are on background? That means it’s two or three deep staters who are angry that Witkoff has succeeded where they’ve failed.
“You know what this ‘reporter’ left out to make room for anonymous quotes? The full quote from the sitting vice president, on the record. A quote from the secretary of state, on the record. A quote from Jared Kushner, on the record.
“The full quote from the UK’s Jonathan Powell, one of the most respected national security people in the Western World, who defended Steve vigorously from these malicious smears.”
Vance also questioned Schwartz’s intentions and the timing of the story.
“Aside from the failure to include on the record information directly contradicting her reporting, I wonder if she ever asked herself why these anonymous sources came to her at this moment with this particular story,” Vance said.
“They have an agenda to blow up the president’s efforts to make peace, and they saw her as a useful vessel to launder garbage into the conversation, truth be damned.
“There are two possible explanations: Felicia is just not very smart, and allowed herself to be used by deep state con men. Or she’s in on it, and used her position to willingly participate in a literal foreign influence operation. Either way, it’s disgraceful.
“To set the record straight: Steve Witkoff is an invaluable member of our team. He did not mislead anyone on what the Russians told him and what the Russians conceded. (Trust me, I’ve seen the intel.) The fruits of his negotiations are that we have narrowed the list of open issues in the Russia-Ukraine war to a set of clearly defined issues–specifically, security guarantees and territorial concessions.
“Maybe we make peace, and maybe we don’t. If we do, it will be because Steve Witkoff and the President of the United States worked their tails off, in the face of outright lies from the mainstream press.”
It remains unclear whether Schwartz has responded to Vance’s accusations.
