Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has sparked controversy with an old video suggesting that childless women are less fit to govern. The latest backlash comes from star Jennifer Aniston. As the Vice-Presidential nominee finds himself embroiled in controversy, another video from 2021 has resurfaced in which Vance advocates for reduced voting rights for childless people.
In the 2021 video that drew Aniston’s criticism, Vance singled out current Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris, among others, suggesting that childless people, particularly “childless cat ladies,” have no direct stake in the country. Speaking with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, Vance said the country was being run 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.”
He cited examples such as then Vice President Kamala Harris, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, saying, “The entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children. And how does it make any sense that we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?”
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Vance’s comments have angered many U.S. citizens, including celebrities, and have drawn accusations of sexism ahead of the US Presidential elections. Kamala Harris, who is currently running for President, was endorsed by President Joe Biden after he dropped out of the race, and her energy has instilled new confidence in the Democrats.
Reacting to Vance’s comments, Jennifer Aniston, who has been vocal about her infertility, took to social media to express her outrage. She posted a screenshot of the clip on her Instagram story and expressed disbelief that such comments were coming from a potential U.S. Vice President.
Jennifer Aniston wrote, “All I can say is…Mr. Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day. I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.”
Additionally, another video from 2021 has resurfaced where Vance advocates for reduced voting rights for childless people. In this video, from Vance’s address to the organization ‘Intercollegiate Studies Institute,’ he argues that people without children have no “investment” in America’s future and “maybe shouldn’t get nearly the same voice.” He acknowledged the implication of his comment, saying, “Doesn’t this mean that non-parents don’t have as much of a voice as parents? Doesn’t this mean that parents get a bigger say in how our democracy functions? Yes, absolutely.”
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Republicans have frequently highlighted that Presidential candidate Kamala Harris does not have biological children and have made it an issue. However, she has received support from numerous citizens, including politicians, celebrities, and her extended family. Supporters often point out that no U.S. president has ever physically given birth, as all have been men.
In response to Vance’s attack on Harris, Kerstin Emhoff, the mother of Harris’ stepchildren, has dismissed the attacks as baseless in a statement to CNN. She stated, “For over 10 years, since Cole and Ella were teenagers, Kamala has been a co-parent with Doug and me. I love our blended family and am grateful to have her in it.” Moreover, Harris’ 25-year-old stepdaughter Ella also took to social media, writing, “I love my three parents. How can you be ‘childless’ when you have cutie pie kids like Cole and me?”