JD Vance Bombs with 'Zero Charisma' as Military Speech Falls Flat
JD Vance bombed hard at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, delivering a speech that left active-duty military members utterly unmoved. The Vice President attempted to defend Trump’s war strategy in Iran, but his words landed with a thud, failing to resonate with the audience.
In a moment meant to be humorous, Vance claimed he wanted “this job because it’s pretty cool having the Commandant of the Marine Corps have to salute a member of the E4 mafia.” The punchline fell flat, met only with awkward silence. He doubled down, saying, “That’s pretty cool… call it an ego thing,” but still received no reaction.
Vance tried to connect with the troops by referencing the years 2003-2007, stating, “We sometimes had leaders who would ask you all to go to war, but would not give you a clear mission on the other end.” His attempt to pander was met with stony silence, as he continued, “One of the reasons why I’m proudest of what the United States has done over these last 18 months is because when he has asked you to go to war, he has given you a defined mission.”
Despite his claims, the audience remained unresponsive, with no cheers or laughter during the two-minute clip shared online. This comes amid growing backlash against Vance for supporting military action in Iran, despite his previous stance against foreign intervention.
Online reactions were brutal. One user remarked, “Those troops see these frauds for who they are — Cowards without a plan ready to send them off to fight without a care in the world.” Another quipped, “He keeps trying to say jokes, but he is the only joke!!!” A third user bluntly stated, “There is obviously no charisma present.”
The audience's disinterest was palpable. One comment suggested, “Maybe lay off the jokes in a hawkish speech to soldiers now thinking they’re going to war, justifying it with lies that fool MAGA but not the troops.”
Vance did acknowledge the efforts of U.S. military members, stating they “have done more in the last 18 months. The president of the United States has asked you to do more than I think any group of service members has ever been asked to do. And yet you’ve done it.”
He assured the troops that Trump would not send them back to Iran “unless he has to.” Vance added, “If we’ve got to do more, of course, that’s kind of up to the Iranians. If they try to rebuild their nuclear program, if they try to start shooting at commercial vessels again, that’s going to change our calculus.”
