Vice President JD Vance joined U.S. Navy SEALs for a 90-minute training session in California this week, an appearance that produced striking images, praise from supporters, and swift backlash online.
According to Fox News, new photos show Vance running on Coronado Beach, hauling heavy logs, rowing in the ocean, and climbing rope obstacles alongside active-duty SEALs during a workout at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Several of the service members’ faces were blurred to protect their identities.
Vance acknowledged the difficulty of the session shortly after it ended. “Just finished PT with the Navy SEALs for 90 minutes. They took it easy on me and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train,” he wrote in a post on X. He added, “So grateful to all of our warriors who keep us safe and keep the highest standards anywhere in the world.”
Vice President Vance trains with @USNavy Seals at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado 📸 pic.twitter.com/AClJaxCdo0
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) December 23, 2025
The vice president, who is 41, participated in multiple stages of SEAL physical training, including beach runs, rope climbs, log carries, and boat exercises. Images released by his office show Vance posing with SEAL trainers in front of an American flag after the workout.
Vance is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who enlisted in 2003 and deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, where he served in public affairs. He has previously said that his time in uniform shaped how he views national security, the costs of war, and the responsibility leaders carry when authorizing military action.
But the workout also sparked criticism.
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) December 23, 2025
Vance’s post quickly drew accusations of political theater, per The Hill. One social media user wrote, “Nice cosplay as a Navy SEAL. Leadership isn’t about photo ops, it’s about fixing the mess at home.” Democratic strategist Christopher Hale was more blunt, accusing the vice president of “burning taxpayer dollars pretending to be a Navy SEAL.”
This is not the first time people have criticized civilian leaders participating in military training events, especially when photos are released publicly. Vance did not directly respond to the backlash, but his comments emphasized admiration rather than comparison. At no point did he claim that his training was equally as hard as the SEALs. Instead, the VP repeatedly stressing their higher standards.
The appearance also fits within broader messaging from the Trump administration emphasizing physical readiness across the armed forces. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly argued that fitness standards must apply at every level of command.
🇺🇸 JD VANCE TRAINS WITH NAVY SEALS AND GETS ABSOLUTELY SMOKED
JD spent a day with Navy SEALs in California doing their conditioning drills. Afterward: “I feel like I got hit by a freight train.”
Mad respect – dude’s 41, did Marine Corps public affairs in Iraq but wasn’t doing… pic.twitter.com/onxEY5uU5g
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 23, 2025
Hegseth has previously said he no longer wants to see “fat generals and admirals” and has ordered twice-yearly fitness testing for service members of all ranks. He has also taken part in workouts with troops during visits to military units, showing physical readiness as a leadership responsibility.
Navy SEALs are among the U.S. military’s most elite special operations forces, known for grueling physical demands and missions ranging from counterterrorism to maritime operations. Their training routinely pushes candidates to physical and mental failure.
Vance’s visit placed him briefly inside that environment — an experience he described not as symbolic, but humbling. “They took it easy on me,” he wrote, a line that underscored the gap between even a fit civilian veteran and the daily standards required of elite special operators.
The images and reactions have continued to circulate online, keeping the focus not just on the workout itself, but on how political leaders engage with the military they oversee.
