Donald Trump has left many puzzled once more by seemingly insulting his own vice president during a media interview. Known for his unconventional and outspoken interview style, Trump’s harsh words are generally aimed at his political adversaries.
However, a video has emerged on social media where Trump appears to include his vice president, JD Vance, in his criticism of Minnesota Governor and former vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz.
The footage, dated December 2, shows Trump addressing reporters about the debates in the 2024 presidential campaign. When questioned about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was the vice-presidential running mate for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, Trump swiftly labeled Walz as ‘incompetent.’
Yet, the president’s remarks seemed to inadvertently categorize his own vice president as well in the same way, even with Vance present in the room.
The discussion began when a reporter inquired if Walz ‘should resign over the fraud scandal in his state.’
Trump responded: “Look, I think the man’s a grossly incompetent man. I thought from the day I watched J.D. destroy him in a debate. I was saying ‘Who is more incompetent? That man or my man?’
“I had a man and he had a man.”
Continuing the narrative that Vance was being described as ‘incompetent’, Trump elaborated: “They were both incompetent and uh… I had a man and a woman, I thought she was very incompetent too, but now she’s leading the field.”
“And I think she’s leading the field for the nomination… Anyway look… That’s up to them. That’s up to the Democrats.”
These remarks left many bewildered, prompting one person to query: “Why is he cooking JD Vance?”
Another commented: “JD catching strays is wild.”
Despite the ambiguous speech, it was later clarified that Trump wasn’t referring to Vance when he mentioned ‘my man.’
According to fact-checking website Snopes, which delved into the event, the White House indicated that Trump was actually alluding to his debate opponent and former President, Joe Biden. This interpretation is bolstered by Trump’s subsequent comment about having ‘a man and a woman’, potentially referencing Harris’s rise as the Democratic nominee after Biden’s withdrawal, or his own campaign against Hillary Clinton in 2016.