U.S. Vice President JD Vance sparked controversy after downplaying the political impact of the Watergate scandal, arguing that if it happened today, it would dominate the news for no more than 12 hours.

Vance said the idea that Watergate could still bring down an American president was “absurd,” claiming that former President Richard Nixon was forced out of the White House by what he described as the “deep state.”

Speaking at the Richard Nixon Foundation in Yorba Linda, California, Vance also alleged that the same institutions attempted to target President Donald Trump during his first term.

He added that the legacy of the 37th U.S. president is currently undergoing a “renaissance” and renewed public reassessment.