Vice President JD Vance made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room as he led a tour group into the space.

He asked a White House staffer who was testing the podium microphone if press secretary Karoline Leavitt was planning to brief reporters Friday. She is expected to speak later.

Vance took a photo of one of the members of his small group standing behind the podium and asked her, "Alrighty, Donna, what do you think about the government shutdown?"

Donna replied, "I can't say yet. Not in this crowd."

Afterwards, Vance said, "Let's get these guys out of here before they say something too controversial."

Vance ignored shouted questions as he left the room, including one from an Associated Press reporter about whether President Donald Trump had met with White House budget director Russell Vought on Thursday about the lapse in government funding.