JD Vance, the Vice President-elect, sparked widespread ridicule and debate after sharing a Thanksgiving meme portraying himself as Donald Trump’s “traditional wife.” The image, a parody of Norman Rockwell’s famous Freedom from Want painting, superimposed Vance’s face onto the matriarch serving a Thanksgiving turkey, while Trump stood behind him, smiling as the husband. Instead of a turkey, the centrepiece on the table was a map of Republican-voting counties across the United States.
The post, shared on Thanksgiving evening, quickly went viral, with liberals and progressives mocking its bizarre nature. Critics focused on the implications of Vance depicting himself in a traditionally feminine role while appearing to glorify Trump as a dominant figure.
“JD Vance posting an image of himself as Trump’s wife, alongside a map that glosses over their narrow win, is certainly a choice,” commented journalist Mehdi Hasan.
“I’ve seen a lot of embarrassing posts online, but this one takes the cake,” added film producer Franklin Leonard.
Jason Linkins, deputy editor of The New Republic, remarked, “Some men have an almost fetishistic need to be ruled. JD Vance is undoubtedly one of them.”
The meme also sparked discussions about its subtle undertones, with some interpreting it as depicting Trump and Vance as a same-sex couple. One social media user noted, “This essentially shows Trump and Vance as a married gay couple—with Vance as the feminine one.” Comedian Gabe Sanchez simply quipped, “He chose to be Trump’s wife, lol.”
Despite the mockery from critics, many of Trump’s supporters found the post amusing. Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), responded with a laughing emoji, and right-wing commentators hailed Vance as a uniquely entertaining Vice President-elect. “This is objectively the funniest VP we’ve ever had. LMFAO,” wrote one prominent account.
Not everyone saw the humour. Author Jennifer Erin Valent voiced dismay at what she perceived as a troubling trend in American leadership. “I don’t even have anything witty to say about this foolishness. It’s just deeply sad that we’ve entrusted unserious, emotionally stunted people with the serious task of running a nation,” she said.
Meanwhile, President-elect Trump remained true to form, using the Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to attack his critics. On Truth Social, he declared, “Happy Thanksgiving to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who have worked so hard to destroy our Country but miserably failed.” He went on to call his victory a “landslide” and promised to restore respect and strength to the nation.
Vance’s meme, while intended as light-hearted, has become yet another example of the political theatre that defines this administration. Whether viewed as humorous or cringe-worthy, it is clear the post has left a lasting impression across the political spectrum.