Caroline Leavitt, a press secretary for former President Donald Trump, defended Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), who has faced criticism for past comments criticizing childfree Democrats.
“As a new mom, my heart breaks for the women who can’t have children. @JDVance’s words have been taken out of context and are unfairly offensive.” Posted by Leavitt On social media platform X.
In 2021, Vance made comments questioning whether Harris was fit to lead given that she doesn’t have any biological children. Those comments have been circulating again in recent days after she was selected as Trump’s running mate earlier this month.
Levitt posted a clip of Vance speaking at the Interuniversity Research Association and said his comments were not aimed at people who “have struggled to find the woman of their dreams or the man of their dreams” or who “are unable to have children for biological or medical reasons.” Vance said his comments were aimed at Democrats who are able to have children but choose not to.
Vance did not mention Harris by name in the 30-second video posted by Leavitt, but his comments earned him an invite to Fox News Channel’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” in July 2021. Vance, who was running for Senate at the time, Joined conservative commentators After receiving criticism, he clarified his statement.
On the show, he said he was saying the country is run by Democrats and “a bunch of childless catwomen who are miserable about their lives and the choices they’ve made.”
“And they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too. And that’s just a basic fact,” Vance said at the time. “If you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC. [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.)]”The future of the Democratic Party is going to be run by people without children, and what sense does it make to turn this country over to people who have no direct stake in it?”
Vance’s comments have come under renewed scrutiny since Harris took over Biden’s presidential campaign after leaving the White House and is lining up to seek the party’s nomination at next month’s Democratic National Convention.
Harris, a stepmother of two adult children, refuted the comments on her campaign’s social media accounts. I posted another clip Vance, speaking at the Interuniversity Studies Association, said parents should have more of a say in American democracy than non-parents.
Vance’s comments also drew criticism from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who now has twin children, said it was unfortunate that Vance made the comments because he and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, had just experienced a “heartbreaking setback in our adoption journey.” But he acknowledged that Vance couldn’t have known, saying, “Maybe that’s why you shouldn’t talk about other people’s kids.”
Actress Jennifer Aniston also shared her thoughts on social media, saying she found it “unbelievable to hear such a statement coming from a candidate for vice president of the United States.” Aniston told Vance she hoped his daughter was “lucky enough to have children of her own one day.”
