Why JD Vance has become a meme sensation on social media

If you have been browsing social media recently, you may have come across memes featuring JD Vance.

The US vice president has become the subject of several memes, turning him into an internet sensation.

A meme is an image, video, or text that is widely shared and replicated online, usually in a humorous way. Many of the memes about Vance have gone viral, being shared millions of times.

On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), memes have depicted the vice president in exaggerated ways, including as an overweight monster, an ogre, and even a child holding a lollipop.

But why has he become the focus of so many memes? How are social media users mocking him?

We will answer these questions:

Why JD Vance has become the subject of countless memes

Memes began circulating on platforms like X following the Oval Office exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.

The wave of memes erupted on February 28 after Vance asked Zelenskyy if he had “said thank you once” during the meeting, in front of the White House Press Pool.

Users on X stated that his comment sounded like something a baby might say. In response, the internet flooded social media with memes portraying the politician as an oversized baby.

During the tense meeting, Vance also forcefully questioned Zelenskyy’s appeal for additional US funding, challenged his credibility, and warned that Ukraine risked losing American support if it did not accept the proposed terms.

Vance told Zelenskyy, “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”

When the Ukrainian leader expressed concerns about trusting any assurances from Putin to end the war, Vance strongly criticised him for disagreeing with Trump publicly.

“It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” Trump told Zelenskyy as the two spoke over each other regarding past international support for Ukraine.

Vance then added, “Again, just say thank you.”

This remark quickly went viral, sparking a wave of memes across social media.

How the internet is targeting Vance

One of the most widely shared memes features Vance with purple skin and an enlarged face, resembling Violet Beauregarde from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. In the film, she turns into a giant blueberry after chewing experimental gum during a tour of Willy Wonka’s factory.

At the time of writing, the meme had nearly 7.5 million views on X.

Some memes mocked Vance for criticising Zelenskyy over not expressing enough gratitude for US aid to Ukraine.

One meme showed Vance in an ill-fitting grey suit and checked shirt without a tie, captioned: “What President Zelensky saw when JD Vance was trying to talk tough to him.”

Another depicted the vice president with an oversized, bald head and a condom placed on his forehead, with the caption: “The only person JD Vance satisfied yesterday was Putin.”

Others featured heavily altered images of Vance, exaggerating features like plump lips, airbrushed skin, and neatly groomed eyebrows.

Did Vance move to “undisclosed location” due to pro-Ukraine protesters?

Vance has also faced online criticism after a New York Post report claimed he faced pro-Ukraine protesters while vacationing at a Vermont ski resort last week.

According to the report, Vance and his family were met by hundreds of angry protesters lining the snow-covered streets during their visit to Sugarbush Resort in Waitsfield. The backlash reportedly forced them to cut short their four-day trip.

Protesters held signs labelling Vance a “national disgrace,” accusing him of being a “traitor,” and urging the family to “go ski in Russia.”

This took place after his Oval Office exchange with Zelenskyy and users on X quickly took aim at Vance.

One user wrote, “Vance is being protested in Vermont, where the Kremlin sent him for a vacation after a job well done yesterday.”

Another commented, “Vance is taking a ski vacation in Vermont after only 6 weeks in office. He was greeted by thousands of protestors and signs like this, so he had to change luxury hotels. While President Zelenskyy returns to his war-torn country.”

Sharing a screenshot of the report, a user posted, “for all the tough talk these people are wildly, insanely soft.”

Vance responded to the post on social media, writing, “These people are such idiots. We had a great time during our weekend in Vermont. We barely noticed the protesters and almost everyone we met was kind and generous. And Vermont is beautiful.”

Addressing reports that he was moved to an undisclosed location, he added, “This headline about being moved to an ‘undisclosed location’ is that we moved our hotel so the kids could have more privacy. We didn’t disclose it because the Secret Service doesn’t like when we advertise my location.”

With inputs from agencies