Sen. J.D. Vance’s latest jab at Vice President Kamala Harris backfired spectacularly on Tuesday, leading to a wave of criticism and ridicule.
Vance took to X (formerly Twitter) to accuse Harris of “flip-flopping” on border security policies as the presidential election nears, but his attack quickly became the subject of mockery. He tweeted, “Kamala Harris is a fake. If she wants to build the border wall, she could start right now!”
The senator’s remarks were sparked by an Axios report highlighting Harris’ support for a bipartisan border security bill, which had been thwarted earlier this year by Trump allies concerned it would hurt Trump’s reelection prospects.
At the recent Democratic National Convention, Harris had pledged to revive the stalled border security bill. This commitment, amounting to a fraction of the $18 billion Trump had requested in 2018 to build the border wall, was cited by Vance as evidence of her insincerity — an argument that almost immediately boomeranged.
“BREAKING: In the irony of all ironies, @JDVance calls Kamala Harris ‘fake,'” replied former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) on X.
Vance has himself faced accusations of flip-flopping and inauthenticity, particularly regarding his previous harsh criticisms of Trump, whom he once labeled “America’s Hitler,” and misrepresenting his upbringing for the convenience of his political career. One columnist to dub him the “Hillbilly phony.”
Political commentator Keith Olbermann joined the fray with a satirical take.
“You voted against it,” Olbermann wrote, with the addition of an unprintable moniker involving a futon.
Navy veteran and commentator Jared Ryan Sears also weighed in, criticizing Vance’s understanding of the vice president’s role. Sears pointed out, “The Vice President doesn’t have the authority to build a wall or to pay for it,” he wrote. “Someone running for the position should know that…Just because you want a dictatorship, doesn’t mean America is one.”
