Vice President Revives Debunked Pizzagate Conspiracy Theory

JD Vance calls for investigation into Epstein-linked email, despite Pizzagate being thoroughly disproven years ago

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:40am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A highly stylized, fragmented painting in bold colors depicting various objects associated with the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, conveying the chaotic and divisive nature of the false claims.The resurgence of the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory online raises concerns about the spread of misinformation and the potential for real-world harm.Chappaqua Today

Vice President JD Vance has publicly called for investigating someone linked to the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory, reviving claims that were thoroughly disproven by law enforcement nearly a decade ago. Vance referenced an email from the recently released Epstein files that he said sounded like the Pizzagate theory, and said the person should be investigated. Pizzagate emerged during the 2016 election and falsely claimed high-ranking Democrats were involved in a child sex trafficking ring operating out of a Washington, D.C. pizzeria. The conspiracy led to a real-world incident where a man with an assault rifle opened fire inside the restaurant, though no evidence was found to support the claims.

Why it matters

Vance's comments appear to conflict with others in the Trump administration, who have said the country should 'get onto something else' and that the Epstein files should not be part of 'anything' at the Justice Department moving forward. The vice president's remarks come as Pizzagate content has surged online following the release of Epstein-related documents, with the word 'pizza' appearing hundreds of times in the files and fuelling renewed speculation on social media. For millions who may not remember the original 2016 frenzy, a sitting vice president is now lending credibility to claims that investigators, courts, and fact-checkers conclusively debunked years ago.

The details

Speaking at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia on Tuesday, Vance referenced emails from the recently released Epstein files, saying 'there's one email I read, and it's been a little while ago, but it was talking about, you know, one person sent an email to Jeffrey Epstein saying, oh, there was some really nice like pizzas and grape sodas or something like that.' Vance said his 'reaction to that was we should absolutely investigate that person,' noting he would follow up to see whether that individual had been investigated.

  • On 4 December 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch, a 28-year-old from North Carolina, drove over four hours to the Comet Ping Pong restaurant carrying an AR-15 rifle and a loaded revolver.
  • In June 2017, US District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson sentenced Welch to four years in prison for his actions, stating that his actions 'literally left psychological wreckage' on staff and patrons.
  • In February 2026, Hillary Clinton was deposed before the House Oversight Committee as part of its Jeffrey Epstein investigation, where she said she was 'asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate.'

The players

JD Vance

The current Vice President of the United States, who has called for investigating someone linked to the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory.

Edgar Maddison Welch

A 28-year-old man from North Carolina who, in 2016, drove over four hours to the Comet Ping Pong restaurant carrying an AR-15 rifle and a loaded revolver, firing three shots inside the restaurant as he searched for evidence of child trafficking, though he found nothing.

Ketanji Brown Jackson

A US District Judge who, in 2017, sentenced Edgar Maddison Welch to four years in prison for his actions at Comet Ping Pong, stating that his actions 'literally left psychological wreckage' on staff and patrons.

Hillary Clinton

The former Secretary of State who was deposed before the House Oversight Committee in February 2026 as part of its Jeffrey Epstein investigation, where she said she was 'asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate.'

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There's one email I read, and it's been a little while ago, but it was talking about, you know, one person sent an email to Jeffrey Epstein saying, oh, there was some really nice like pizzas and grape sodas or something like that. And I remember it sounded like the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, but here it was in, like, an email from a guy, and my reaction to that was we should absolutely investigate that person.”

— JD Vance, Vice President of the United States

“I started being asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate, one of the most vile, bogus conspiracy theories that was propagated on the internet, that was serving as the basis of a member's questions to me.”

— Hillary Clinton

What’s next

The vice president's office has indicated they will follow up to see if the individual referenced in the Epstein email has been investigated.

The takeaway

Vance's comments reviving the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory, despite it being thoroughly disproven by law enforcement and fact-checkers years ago, raise concerns about the spread of misinformation and the potential for real-world harm, especially when coming from a high-ranking government official.