Vice President JD Vance is often composed and collected in public. He often flaunts a poker face, especially when he’s delivering a serious statement. But more often than not, the mask does slip. And he unintentionally (or intentionally) ends up embarrassing himself.
Vance has racked up many embarrassing moments over the years, and they will probably haunt him forever. He may have wanted to erase those moments from his memory permanently, but the internet never forgets, does it?
His supporters and critics continue to remember some of his most embarrassing moments. Take a trip down memory lane through some of Vance’s most cringe-worthy moments. These range from dropping a trophy on live television to an accidental assassination announcement.
Failed Roast Aimed at AOC:
JD Vance ROAST AOC: “I’m tempted just to freeze for 20 seconds and just stare at the cameras, and maybe they’ll say nice things about me like they do about Congresswoman Cortez.” 🤣
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 19, 2026
At the recent Board of Peace meeting with President Donald Trump, Vance attempted to roast AOC, or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Shortly after the president praised his VP, it was Vance’s turn to speak. He thanked Trump and attempted to tell a joke about AOC.
Vance recalled Trump’s compliment about him being “so smart” and highlighted AOC’s famous slip-up. He joked, saying, “I didn’t want to repeat our Congresswoman, who froze for 20 seconds over in Munich.”
He then suggested that he, too, should have frozen. And perhaps then the media would write “nice things” about him. Vance might have expected laughter from at least the POTUS himself. But it was nothing but crickets. Not a single person laughed. An awkward silence hung in the air before he finally moved on to his speech.
Users on X shared their reactions to the moment. One user pointed out, “Never knew it was possible to be that uncharismatic and embarrassing.” Another said, “Vance has the charisma of a fart in church.” Taking note of the silence, a third one said, “They’ll set up a laugh track for the next meeting.”
Caught Red-Handed by His Lack of Experience as A Pet Parent:
.@JDVance, his son Vivek and dog Atlas board the plane to head to Phoenix pic.twitter.com/TWTwkKRYSK
— Taylor Van Kirk (@taylorvankirk) September 4, 2024
Eagle-eyed netizens pointed out that Vance held his dog’s leash incorrectly. Some joked that someone should have called dog expert Cesar Milan. When he was first announced as Trump’s running mate, he had an idea to curry a furry favor with Americans. And what better way to do that than by flaunting his skills as a pet parent?
Well, he might’ve been caught red-handed by his lack of experience in that area. Vance owns an adorable German Shepherd called ‘Atlas.’ The pet was often seen beside Vance before he assumed vice presidential duties after Trump’s election.
A clip went viral showing Vance holding Atlas’s leash all wrong. It is still circulating online. The correct way is to wrap the leash through the loop and hold the dog close. Vance did the opposite.
Vance held the leash along its length, putting himself at risk of leash burn. That can happen when a dog tugs hard or sniffs around. Many claimed that Vance simply “can’t walk a dog.”
Vance is Not As Good at Golf as He Claimed to Be:
@VP JD Vance was golfing in Palm Beach today at Trump International Golf Club! pic.twitter.com/JNkanapdRX
— Katie Yonke (@JKHomestead) January 3, 2026
Golf is a pretty big part of the Trump administration, considering the President himself enjoys the sport. In fact, the POTUS owns several golf clubs across the country and the world. Although he’s no Tiger Woods, the POTUS is reportedly a good player. His VP, however, can probably be described as an amateur golfer.
Vance badly embarrassed himself when he attempted to flaunt his skills as a golfer. Memes, mockery, and ridicule flooded the internet after a clip of Vance golfing went viral in 2025. The Daily Mail highlighted Vance’s attempt to get the ball in the hole.
Vance was visibly frustrated as he struggled to sink the ball on the green. Two-putts are what most golfers aim for. Three is perhaps still acceptable for amateurs. But four? Well, that’s not exactly given him a very good reputation as a golfer.
That, in addition to his failure to hide his frustrations, caught the attention of many of his critics and supporters online. Many slammed Vance for his skills and reaction when he wasn’t able to pull off a basic golf move.
Vance Dropped a Trophy on Live Television:
Watch the moment JD Vance drops a trophy during Ohio State football’s White House visit.https://t.co/vGtInCT3M3 pic.twitter.com/ZYKisIQks7
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 14, 2025
Almost ending the list is this unforgettable moment that people will probably never forget. And he might actually be haunted by it for years to come. The VP picked quite a day to display his alleged butterfingers.
The VP might have let his facade of cool and collected slip (pun intended) when he let the Ohio State National Championship trophy slip away from his grasp. During a recent White House event in February 2026, the huge golden trophy turned out to be too heavy for him
Vance did have the help of people who held the top portion of the golden trophy while he attempted to figure out how to hold the base. Instead of holding it securely, Vance moved the trophy’s base too quickly, resulting in the base falling off.
Many of the team members attempted to stifle their laughter during this moment as Vance scrambled to pick up the base and reattach it. He eventually presented the trophy without the base. He later claimed that he didn’t want anyone else “after” it, so he decided to break it—as an attempt to cover up the embarrassing fumble.
Vance Accidentally Killed Off RFK Jr. in An Embarrassing Announcement:
Vance: This country never healed from the assassination of Robert F Kennedy Jr. pic.twitter.com/JA6mo1GfHZ
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 17, 2024
Perhaps the most embarrassing moment on this list that supporters, critics, and netizens will never forget. And it’s none other than the time Vance made an assassination announcement about his colleague, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr.
In 2024, when Vance was on one of his campaigning trails, he recalled the assassination of JFK, or rather, John F. Kennedy, the late former President. When he brought up the incident, instead of referring to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he confidently stated, “This country never healed from the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
This immediately sparked conspiracy theories about the Trump administration employee’s well-being. The video of his brutal mistake spread like wildfire online, with many roasting Vance for his embarrassing mistake and even correcting him.
Many accused Vance of having dementia and expressed their confusion over his remarks. RFK Jr. is indeed alive and well and carrying out his duties as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Given Vance’s record, similar moments could emerge in the future.
