Trump Says Vance's Comments Show Family 'Very Important' to Him
2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has defended comments made by his running mate JD Vance about some women in the Democratic Party being 'childless cat ladies.' The comment was made during an interview with Fox News in 2021....
Facts
- 2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has defended comments made by his running mate JD Vance about some women in the Democratic Party being 'childless cat ladies.' The comment was made during an interview with Fox News in 2021.[1]
- The comment in question, in which Vance was referring to both women like Vice Pres. Kamala Harris and men like Transporation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have resurfaced since he was added to the GOP presidential ticket.[2][3]
- Trump attributed Vance's viewpoint to growing up in 'a very interesting family situation' — Vance was mainly raised by his grandmother — and family being 'very important' to him, arguing that he didn't think there was anything 'wrong in saying that.'[4][1]
- Trump also said he himself doesn't value parents more than people without children because sometimes people who 'don't meet the right person' are 'just as good' and, 'in many cases, a lot better than a person that's in a family situation.'[5]
- Vance has previously also defended his comment, telling Megyn Kelly on YouTube that his words were meant to criticize the Democratic Party 'for becoming anti-family and anti-child' rather than to criticize people who don't have children.[3]
Sources: [1]Newsweek, [2]Washington Post, [3]Sky News, [4]Reuters.com and [5]BBC News.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by USA Today. There are tens of thousands of voters who don't have children but have a cat or a pet of some kind. Vance's comments seem to double down on many of Trump's previous vile comments and policies from both his time on the campaign trail and as president. Republicans have just insulted a large constituency that could seriously impact the vote in swing states.
- Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. Democrats have blatantly taken Vance's comments out of context. Republicans are fighting for the forgotten working-class women of the US, and Democrats are trying to distract attention from their anti-family policies that have tanked the American dream. Republicans know they'll have to continue pushing back against fiction for the remainder of the campaign.
