Vice President JD Vance says the "end times" have always fascinated him, and that he's open to the possibility that his work as a top world leader could contribute to their arrival, saying his focus is more on doing God’s work.
“I for my entire life have been fascinated by the end times, prophecy and theology,” Vance, 42, said during an episode of the "The Bryce Crawford Podcast" published Aug. 31, adding that the first Bible he ever got − the John Hagee Prophecy Study Bible − when he was probably 10 or 11 was heavily focused "in sort of the church on end times."
“End times” refer to the Christian belief that the world as we know it will come to an end at some point in the future.
"Do I think that we're in the end times?" Vance then questioned
himself. "I don't know. And I think that it's probably bad for me spiritually to focus too much on it because there are things you got to do."
He continued: "I got to be good to my wife. I got to be good to my kids. I have to be as good of a leader as I can for the United States of America. While I'm fascinated by it, I think focusing on it is too much can be very bad."
Vance said, "there are like, things about the world" that don't shock him, such as "if the antichrist was walking among us," but that he tries not to "focus too much on it."
Vance says AI is bringing 'some weird dark energy'
The vice president also delved into how developments in technology are shaping the world, with "some really really weird spiritual dark energy" at some of the AI companies.
"People have like AI romantic partners now," Vance said. "It's like watching 'My Strange Addiction' again, where someone's in a relationship with their car, but it's modified into an AI robot."
Vance even said that a major technology company holds a “burial ceremony” for the model of a tech product when a newer version is introduced. However, he did not name the company.
“While I wouldn’t be shocked if we are living in the end time, what I’m trying to focus on is doing as much of God’s work as possible right now,” he said, adding that he is willing to accept whatever spiritual consequences may come from his efforts.
“If that leads to the end times, okay, and if that leads to … us building a better world that thrives and survives for a very long time after I’m gone, that’s great too," Vance said.
He later reiterated that he believes the end times are inevitable.
“I think you gotta just kinda try and have an attitude of the end times may be coming, in fact they are coming, it’s just a question of whether they’re coming thousands of years down the road or a few months down the road," Vance said. "And we've got a lot of work to do right now."
"I got to try to do the work I can right now," he added.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This story has been updated to add video.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JD Vance says he's focused on doing 'God's work,' speaks on 'end times'
