Vance On 'Childless Cat Ladies': 'People Are Focusing So Much On The Sarcasm And Not On The Substance'

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance sought on Friday to clarify his 2021 remark about “childless cat ladies,” asserting that he was not targeting individuals without children but rather was criticizing Democrats for their “anti-family and anti-kid” policies.

This clarification, given on Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM podcast, follows the viral reappearance of a video where Vance questioned some Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, for not having biological children, despite Harris having two stepchildren, reported Politico.

The Kamala HQ account wrote on X on Thursday, “JD Vance says women who haven’t given birth are ‘childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives’ and shouldn’t be in politics because they ‘don’t have a direct stake’ in America.”

Also Read: Can Trump Replace JD Vance As Kamala Harris Gains Momentum? Experts Warn It Could Be ‘Extraordinarily Disruptive’

Vance defended himself, stating, “Obviously it was a sarcastic comment. People are focusing so much on the sarcasm and not on the substance of what I actually said … and the substance of what I said, Megyn, I’m sorry, it is true.”

Kamala HQ slammed Vance again Saturday in a post on X, writing, “JD Vance says women should stay in violent marriages "for the sake of their kids.”

Vance, who is a parent of three, also aimed to reposition himself as a supporter of families, framing his earlier comments as a critique of Democrats for adopting positions that he believes undermine family interests.

He specifically criticized Harris for opposing the child tax credit after her campaign accused Vance of backing higher taxes for Americans without children.

This led some Republicans, including Vance, to argue that Democrats are against benefiting parents through the tax code. However, Harris and other Democrats have supported legislation aimed at expanding the child tax credit.

Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika, in a statement to Politico, highlighted ongoing criticism of Vance’s comments on social media. She accused him of “insulting couples struggling with infertility, demeaning women’s choices and freedoms, and reminding voters of his and Donald Trump‘s anti-IVF Project 2025 agenda.”

Vance described the country’s record-low birth rate, which he attributed to parents feeling uncomfortable bringing new life into the world as a “catastrophic problem.” He then criticized Democrats, accusing them of addressing this issue by suggesting that American children be replaced with immigrants, Politico added.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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