Vice President JD Vance has unwittingly become the centerpiece of internet meme culture, finding his likeness transformed and exaggerated across social media platforms following his heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. What began as light-hearted parodies has evolved, with users creating endless iterations of Vance's face, making them nearly unrecognizable from the real person.
This digital frenzy kicked off on March 1, 2025, during Vance's contentious meeting with Zelensky, where he pointedly asked, "Have you said thank you once?" The question, meant to express American support, quickly morphed online as users capitalized on Vance's earnestness, giving rise to memes depicting him as various characters—ranging from baby-faced cherubs to cartoonish Minions.
Journalist Julio Rosas, who traveled with Vance, reported on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "I can confirm VP Vance has seen many of the memes/edits of his pictures and thinks it's a funny trend." This statement underlines Vance’s surprisingly good-humored response to the onslaught of ridicule—from those across the political spectrum. Memes have surfaced showing Vance as characters like Violet Beauregarde from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and even the sun from Teletubbies, adorned with ridiculous captions and oversized features.
One user humorously lamented, "Twitter is f***ing unusable. I'm trying to get updates on whether World War 3 is on but all I'm seeing are fat JD Vance memes," highlighting just how pervasive these parodies have become. Others echoed similar sentiments, with another remarking, "I have completely forgotten what the real JD Vance looks like at this point." The extent of this transformation raises questions about political identity and how public figures are perceived through digital culture.
The humor surrounding Vance’s transformation isn't limited to harmless ridicule; it plays on wider cultural fractures and collective anxieties. Jamie Cohen, an assistant professor of media studies, described the phenomenon as quasi-Rorschach tests for political opinion, reflecting differing perceptions of Vance himself—either as the tantrum-throwing toddler favored by his critics or the heroic nationalist some supporters see.
Perhaps the most absurd aspect of the meme treatment is how rapidly these transformations can occur. What started from user-generated edits of Vance’s cheeks being made more prominent has snowballed, leading to increasingly bizarre representations of him. For every iteration, including one where he appears as Uncle Sam from the 'Despicable Me' franchise, the memes feed off each other, propelling even weirder interpretations as the cultural moment evolves.
For example, the infamous 'pwease' line Vance quoted during his meeting has been embraced and remixed—making him the "Pwease Guy" of the internet. Various posts have racked up millions of views, demonstrating just how quickly social media can amplify memes to the point where public figures find themselves more defined by online parody than their actual political actions.
The response from Vance—a figure well aware of the online sentiments surrounding him—also signals something about millennial politicians today. He himself has been known to participate, sharing memes and humor on social media, which suggests he recognizes the inherent absurdity of the situation. Cohen noted, "Right now, we’re still in the ‘collector space’ — people are creating alternate versions, hoarding them, pushing the meme in stranger directions."
Even as the humor around Vance’s memes continues to evolve, the intersection of politics and digital culture takes center stage. All this points to the reality facing politicians today: projecting authority and seriousness might not always translate well online, especially when voters find more amusement instead.
Surprisingly, rather than push back against this digital age mockery, Vance's apparent embrace of it could be advantageous, reminding voters of his humor and relatability during tumultuous political times. While the world watches his antics, perhaps one lasting takeaway is how digital distortions can strip politicians of their carefully crafted images—leaving behind laughter and perplexity instead.