Vice President JD Vance’s latest defense of President Donald Trump got hit with a quick reality check on Tuesday evening.

During a Q&A session at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia, Vance was asked about Trump’s claims that the files related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – who was once a close friend – were a “Democrat hoax.”

“I have to defend the president on this,” Vance insisted. “Because when he said that it was a ‘hoax,’ what he was talking about was this Democratic idea that he’s connected to Epstein.”

Vance said Trump’s ties to Epstein were because “everybody in Palm Beach knew everybody” and not because they were friends.

“The president has said he knew Jeffrey Epstein and he was a scumbag,” Vance said, claiming that the emails released by the Justice Department actually showed the two “hated” each other.

“When the president says, ‘This is a hoax,’ he’s not saying it’s a hoax that Epstein was a scumbag,” Vance said. “He’s saying this Democratic idea that somehow he was Epstein’s best friend, that is a hoax.”

But it’s not a Democratic idea, as Trump himself is on the record about his relationship with Epstein.

“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” the future president told New York magazine in 2002. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

Epstein was also on the record in 2017 when he said he was once “Trump’s closest friend for 10 years,” according to an interview with author Michael Wolff.

Epstein and Trump were repeatedly photographed together at events, and Trump used Epstein’s plane multiple times. Trump also reportedly sent Epstein a racy birthday card in 2003, an image of which was published by The Wall Street Journal last year. Trump has denied writing the card and sued the Journal, but the case was thrown out of court earlier this week.

Trump and Epstein ultimately had a falling out, reportedly over a real estate deal, although Trump has offered shifting explanations.

Given that background, critics on social media were quick to give Vance some reminders:

Don’t believe your lying eyes https://t.co/BPLR6wlOGu pic.twitter.com/vOv9RDDxPU

It's not a "Democratic idea." It's literally what Jeffrey Epstein himself said, on tape: "I was Donald's closest friend for 10 years." https://t.co/wsrvyOcB0d

So bad at this. Maybe he can sell timeshares. https://t.co/E6JWJuEFYg

"This idea that somehow Trump was Epstein's best friend is a hoax." https://t.co/1aJfjKjglu pic.twitter.com/SR6HtiPXPJ

Here’s Epstein saying he was Trump’s best friend for 10 years https://t.co/FRyfqeGLMt pic.twitter.com/3eQkjMgkf6

Yeah yeah keep defending Trump on the Epstein files….you’re doing great! https://t.co/ULBV9QOhcf

It is not a hoax. He was Epstein's friend. That is fact. He can argue in court that maybe he was not his "best friend", but he was still a good friend. https://t.co/0PK8unavld

Even if we grant that is true, then what about everyone else who was involved?Where are those arrests and why are these people being protected by Trump’s Department of Justice and FBI? https://t.co/xMpGge1BhY

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