JD Vance’s 2021 ‘Childless Cat Ladies’ Remark Resurfaces

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), now former President Donald Trump’s running mate, has received criticism over past comments suggesting the country should not be run by “childless cat ladies.”

Vance’s Quote: In a July 2021 interview with Fox News (Right bias), Vance said: “We’re effectively run in this country, via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too. It’s just a basic fact. You look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC. The entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children. And how does that make any sense, when we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?” 

For Context: Vice President Kamala Harris has two stepchildren, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg adopted two children in August 2021. Critics of Vance’s remarks reportedly include politicians like Buttigieg and celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, as well as some fans of Taylor Swift.

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was much more common in left-rated outlets, often highlighting female celebrities’ reactions. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) said Vance’s “insult” sparked “bipartisan outrage.” While Newsmax (Right bias) covered a Trump aide who defended Vance, as well as Vance’s later remark that he was referring to people who “elected not to” have children, a National Review (Right bias) senior editor said it was “rotten” to “pit people with children against people without.”