After ‘hope Usha becomes Christian’ row, Vance doubles down, says America will be a Christian nation

US Vice President JD Vance used a fiery AmericaFest speech in Phoenix to declare that the Trump administration has “relegated DEI to the dustbin of history,” insisting the United States will now prioritise hard work and merit over race‑ or sex‑based preferences. He told thousands of conservative activists that “Americans don’t have to apologise for being white anymore” and vowed that people would be judged “based on who they are,” tying the end of diversity, equity and inclusion policies to a broader push for tougher immigration enforcement, faster deportations and a crackdown on what he called “left‑wing violence.” Vance contrasted the current administration with Kamala Harris’s tenure, accusing the previous government of using state power to censor speech, while claiming the present White House is defending free expression on campuses and online and has shifted the US military from “firing” service members over vaccine mandates to “welcoming patriots instead.