JD Vance is facing criticism online after his recent comments about the Titanic and “turning it around,” despite the ship’s well-known fate of sinking to the ocean floor.
Vance visited Ohio and addressed workers at an industrial shipping facility in Toledo yesterday.
During his visit, he spoke about the affordability crisis in the US, attributing it to the Biden administration’s policies.
Donald Trump had promised to “Make America Affordable Again” upon his return to office, but a year later, many Americans are still struggling with financial challenges as their wages haven’t kept up with the rising cost of living.
In front of a group of workers with signs stating “bigger paychecks,” Vance discussed the ongoing issue.
“We know there is still so much work to do, and this is something I want you to hear: the Democrats talk a lot about the affordability crisis in the United States of America. And yes, there is an affordability crisis—one created by Joe Biden’s policies,” he told the crowd.
Vance went on to say: “You don’t turn the Titanic around overnight. It takes time to fix what was broken.”
His choice of metaphor has left many puzzled, as the Titanic did not turn around and famously sank after striking an iceberg, resulting in the loss of around 1,500 lives.
Critics quickly mocked Vance for his odd analogy.
One person commented on X: “So close! the Titanic actually sank to the bottom of the f**king ocean.”
“Can someone tell him the Titanic didn’t turn around… it sank,” another person remarked.
A third added: “Erm … is anyone else thinking what I’m thinking? Really not sure the Titanic was the best analogy. I mean, it’s true, but I don’t think that was his point.”
“The Titanic famously did not turn around at all,” noted another commenter.
In addition to his Ohio visit, Vance also stopped in Minneapolis, where he defended ICE’s recent actions following the detention of a five-year-old boy, an event that has sparked nationwide controversy.
The child, known publicly as Liam Ramos, was detained along with his father by ICE agents.
Amidst the turmoil in cities like Minneapolis, Vance suggested that local authorities might be “being told by somebody not to cooperate at all” with federal agents.
He urged figures like Tim Waltz and Jacob Frey to “empower their local officials to help our federal officials out in a way that this can be a little bit less chaotic and it can be a little more targeted.”