Senate Hearing Turns Contentious as Duckworth Responds to Vance

Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, issued a strong response to Vice President J.D. Vance after he likened a Senate Foreign Relations Committee exchange between Duckworth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to a debate between Forrest Gump and Isaac Newton.

Vance, in a post on social media, remarked, “Watching Tammy Duckworth relentlessly interrupt Marco Rubio during this hearing is like watching Forrest Gump argue with Isaac Newton.”

Duckworth countered, stating, “Forrest Gump ran into danger in Vietnam. Your boss ran to the podiatrist crying over bone spurs. Petty insults at the expense of disabled people don’t change the fact that you’re risking the lives of soldiers to boost Chevron’s stock price. It’s my job to hold you accountable.”

Rubio maintained he has no intention of using force in Venezuela but indicated that an “imminent threat” could alter the circumstances.

Other Democratic voices weighed in against Vance as well. Congresswoman Shri Thanedar from Michigan, while sharing Vance’s post, commented, “Imagine watching Forrest Gump and you’re making fun of people with disabilities.”

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker added on social media, “That’s a U.S. senator doing her job. This is a troll randomly tweeting at her.”

Democratic Representative John Garamendi of California described Vance’s comparison as “classless and disgraceful,” noting Duckworth is a veteran who sacrificed her legs for her country. Garamendi stated, “If I had honor, I would step down from this post. But you are working for Trump, so clearly you have no honor.”

Duckworth, who served in the Illinois Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq, shared on her Senate biography that she lost her legs and part of her right arm when her helicopter was struck by an RPG on November 12, 2004.

She later recounted on social media, “The RPG pierced the cockpit of the helicopter I was co-piloting. I lost my leg in the blast, lost part of my right arm and almost lost my life.”

Vance later reiterated his support for Rubio, saying, “Thank God we have a Secretary of State who knows the facts and has the patience of Job. Great job, @SecRubio.”