The Vice President, JD Vance, faced backlash after making a demeaning comparison of Senator Tammy Duckworth, a decorated veteran, to the character Forrest Gump during a heated Senate hearing. The incident occurred after Duckworth pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio on whether the U.S. was engaged in a war with Venezuela, a question prompted by Rubio’s assertion that the U.S. was not at war with the South American nation but “confronting” criminal gangs in a “war-like setting.”
Vance responded to a clip of the exchange with a post on social media, claiming Duckworth’s interruptions were like “watching Forrest Gump argue with Isaac Newton.” This remark was widely seen as disrespectful, considering Duckworth’s military service and the severe injuries she sustained in Iraq in 2004, which resulted in the loss of both legs and partial use of her right arm.
Duckworth swiftly and sharply countered Vance’s jab, contrasting his boss’s alleged avoidance of military service with Forrest Gump’s courageous actions in Vietnam. She pointed out that while Gump “ran toward danger,” Vance’s leader “ran to his podiatrist crying bone spurs.” She further accused Vance of putting troops’ lives at risk to benefit corporate interests, framing her role as a senator as one of accountability.
The exchange resulted in Vance briefly withdrawing from social media, though he later posted praise for Rubio, calling him a Secretary of State with “the patience of Job.” The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between members of opposing parties and highlights the sensitivity surrounding military service and disability in public discourse.
The episode serves as a reminder that even in high-level political debates, personal attacks and disrespectful comparisons can escalate quickly, drawing sharp rebukes from those targeted and fueling further division.
