Since JD Vance was announced as Donald Trump’s running mate for the 2024 presidential election, the Ohio senator has become a focal point of online speculation. The 39-year-old has quickly transitioned from being a best-selling author to one of the lowest-polling vice presidential candidates in recent history, largely due to intense scrutiny on social media.
One of the more curious topics of discussion has been Vance’s appearance, particularly regarding his eyes. Recently, internet users have fixated on whether Vance wears eyeliner, a debate that has taken on a life of its own online.
The speculation seems to have kicked off when journalist James Surowiecki shared a video clip of Vance from September 2021, questioning, “Why does JD Vance always look like he’s wearing eyeliner?” This tweet quickly went viral, prompting a flood of comments and observations about Vance’s appearance.
Some social media users have scrutinized photos of Vance, noting what appears to be a dark smudge along his waterline. “There is only one urgent political question on my mind tonight. Why does JD Vance wear so much eyeliner?” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another joked, “I do think it’s funny that JD Vance thought all his problems could be solved with contour and a little eyeliner.”
Photojournalist Zach D Roberts contributed to the speculation with a photo of Vance taken during a speaking engagement, where a black line was visible under his eyes. “I really thought people were joking about this, but then I photographed him last week. Vance 100 percent does wear eyeliner,” Roberts claimed.
TikTok also became a battleground for this debate. User Casey (@mamasissiesays) created a video comparing Vance’s public appearances with his official Senate portrait. Despite the differing appearances, Casey humorously suggested that Vance might use Urban Decay eyeliner in the shade “desperation.”
The intrigue surrounding Vance’s possible eyeliner use even reached late-night TV. Comedian Jimmy Fallon mocked the situation on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, showing a graph with the tagline: “Google searches for, ‘Does JD Vance wear eyeliner?’” Fallon then displayed a photo of Vance with the black line under his eyes.
It’s plausible that Vance uses makeup for on-camera appearances, as many public figures do. However, the discussion about his makeup choice is particularly charged because of his vocal stance against LGBTQ+ rights. Vance’s policies, including restrictions on transgender healthcare and opposition to additional gender markers on passports, have sparked accusations of hypocrisy from critics who argue that his private choices contradict his public statements.
For someone who espouses traditional views on gender and family, the alleged eyeliner usage has become a symbol of perceived inconsistency. Vance’s stance on issues like declining birth rates and the role of childless individuals in society has only amplified the scrutiny.
While the exact nature of Vance’s makeup routine remains uncertain, the fascination with his possible eyeliner use underscores a broader dialogue about authenticity and the personal choices of public figures. Whether his role as Trump’s running mate will continue is still up in the air, but for now, the internet remains captivated by the mystery of JD Vance’s eyeliner.
