Donald Trump is reportedly infuriated as JD Vance, a prominent supporter, faces increasingly unfavorable polling numbers. In an effort to boost Vance’s image, the Trump campaign arranged for him to speak in front of a larger audience in Big Rapids, Michigan, but the event turned out to be a disaster.
Recent polling data highlights Vance’s struggles, with his net favorable ratings plummeting from -3.3% on July 18th to a staggering -9.7%. The decline underscores the growing dissatisfaction with Vance, who has been criticized for his awkward and uncharismatic stage presence. During his speech in Big Rapids, Vance’s attempts at humor fell flat. For instance, he made a bizarre comment about Pokémon cards, saying, “Mom, no more Pokémon cards in front of a thousand people,” which failed to resonate with the audience.
Vance also awkwardly joked about needing whatever the enthusiastic crowd behind him was having, saying, “I got to get whatever we fed these guys behind me.” These attempts at humor were met with silence, reinforcing the perception that Vance is out of touch with his audience.
Vance’s comments on Vice President Kamala Harris further fueled the criticism. He likened her to a “vice principal,” questioning her leadership and claiming she lacked self-awareness. These remarks seemed to backfire, painting Vance as more focused on insults than on offering substantive political discourse.
Compounding the issue, a text message from Vance to a friend surfaced, revealing his past ambivalence toward Trump. In the message, Vance referred to Trump as potentially “America’s Hitler,” a statement that contrasts sharply with his current support for the former president.
Vance also took a swipe at Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, making an odd comment about Whitmer’s children and their conception, which only added to the bizarre nature of his speech. This personal attack on Whitmer, who had used fertility treatment, seemed to further alienate the audience.
Adding to the absurdity, some Vance supporters reportedly brought cases of fake semen to the event, a bizarre and disturbing gesture meant to mock Whitmer’s fertility treatment. This strange behavior only served to underscore the increasingly fringe nature of Vance’s campaign.
In a final attempt to engage the audience, Vance made a weak joke about Harris adopting Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” which again fell flat. As a result, even some within the MAGA movement appear to be distancing themselves from Vance, emphasizing other candidates over him.
The event in Big Rapids, Michigan, highlights the growing challenges facing JD Vance as his campaign continues to falter. With Trump visibly frustrated and Vance’s polling numbers in freefall, the future looks increasingly uncertain for the embattled politician.