“And I realized when I was there, you know what this reminds me of? This reminds me of going to the U.S. Embassy in Port‑au‑Prince, Haiti,” JD Vance said on the Joe Rogan Experience, describing an elite Los Angeles event separated by heavy security from nearby encampments.
What JD Vance said on Joe Rogan
On the podcast, Vance recounted driving through parts of Los Angeles on his way to a private holiday gathering and being struck by the visible contrast between the secured interior of the event and conditions on adjacent streets. He framed the scene as one where “super security, crazy wealth and privilege and status on the inside” sat alongside “squalor and misery on the outside.”
Vance said the juxtaposition was strong enough that it prompted him to think of diplomatic compounds he had seen abroad, specifically referencing the U.S. Embassy in Port‑au‑Prince. Those characterizations were presented as his impressions from the visit and as commentary on what he saw that day.
Details of the LA visit and key quotes
Vance — who said his wife is from southern California and that he has visited the state frequently — described Los Angeles as a place of attractive weather and architecture, then added that driving near downtown and skid row produced “heartbreak.”
Host Joe Rogan added anecdotes about people choosing to leave California and offered examples — such as a shorthand about U‑Haul rental costs to indicate migration patterns — which he and Vance used as illustrative, not strictly empirical, points. Those remarks on the podcast were conversational and anecdotal, and the speakers framed some items as impressions rather than systematically measured claims.
Homelessness and skid row context in Los Angeles
Skid row in downtown Los Angeles is widely recognized as a concentrated area of homelessness, services and encampments. Analysts, service providers and local agencies point to a complex mix of factors — including housing affordability, shortages of shelter and supportive housing, behavioral health needs and substance use — in explaining why the crisis persists.
Local agencies such as the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and county homelessness reporting provide periodic counts and analysis; those sources are the primary references for assessing trends and scale. Reporting and data from LAHSA and Los Angeles County are useful for readers who want official counts and trend analysis rather than individual anecdotes.
Observers and experts caution that a single visit or anecdote does not substitute for comprehensive data. Still, high‑profile remarks by national figures often draw public attention to local conditions and can spur additional reporting, official responses, or policy discussion.
Political response and verification notes
Fox News Digital reported the interview and said it contacted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office for comment; the outlet did not record an immediate response, according to its story. The remarks quoted here are attributed to Vance and to statements made on the Joe Rogan podcast.
Some assertions made during the episode — including claims about the precise geographic growth of skid row or direct comparisons to foreign diplomatic compounds — are subjective characterizations by the speakers and were not independently verified in the Fox News Digital report. Readers should treat those statements as personal impressions and seek official data or reporting for empirical questions about size, trends or causes.
What comes next
Expect follow‑up coverage in at least two areas: reporters will likely seek independent confirmation of changes in downtown Los Angeles geography and homelessness, and political actors may respond or incorporate the comments into broader debates over housing, public safety and municipal policy.
Reporters and readers should watch for: any official responses from local or state leaders; updated counts or trend data from LAHSA or Los Angeles County; and any clarifying statements or repeats of the remarks by Vance or the podcast host in subsequent appearances.
Source attribution
This summary draws directly from an account published by Fox News Digital and from widely available local sources on homelessness. For official counts and program details, see the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) at https://www.lahsa.org and Los Angeles County homelessness resources at https://homeless.lacounty.gov.
Original reporting cited: Fox News Digital — https://www.foxnews.com/media/jd-vance-says-attending-event-los-angeles-reminded-him-visiting-us-embassy-3rd-world-country. The Fox News piece notes that the outlet contacted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office for comment and did not receive an immediate response.
Frequently asked questions
Did JD Vance actually visit Los Angeles for the event?
Vance described driving through parts of Los Angeles on his way to a private event and recounted his impressions on the Joe Rogan podcast. The account is presented as his firsthand impression in that interview.
Did he say parts of America are like a Third World country?
On the podcast, Vance said the observed contrast made him think “more like a Third World country” in the specific sense of a secured, affluent interior adjoining visible street-level hardship. That phrasing was offered as his subjective characterization of what he saw.
Did Gov. Gavin Newsom respond to these claims?
According to the Fox News Digital report cited above, the outlet contacted Newsom’s office and did not record an immediate response for that story. This summary does not include a separate Newsom statement.
