Trump’s running mate J D Vance defends ‘childless cat ladies’ comment after backlash

In an interview with conservative media personality Megyn Kelly on Friday, Vance defended his comments, 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.” He insisted that his critique was aimed at the Democratic Party’s policies rather than individuals’ personal circumstances.

Vance, who has three children, clarified that he was not targeting those who cannot have children for biological or medical reasons. Instead, he was criticizing the Democratic Party for allegedly being “anti-family and anti-children.” He argued that having children offers a unique perspective on society and that policies should reflect the needs of families.

During the original 2021 interview, Vance questioned the childlessness of some leading Democratic figures, including Kamala Harris. He suggested that their lack of direct familial investment undermined their stakes in national issues.

Vance also remarked that the Democratic leadership was “controlled by people without children,” which he claimed led to policies detrimental to family life.

In response to the criticism, Vance said, “I wish her step-children and Kamala Harris and her whole family the very best. The point is not that she’s lesser. The point is that her party has pursued a set of policies that are profoundly anti-child.”

Jennifer Aniston, who has openly discussed her own struggles with fertility, criticized Vance’s comments as insensitive and inappropriate for someone in his position. “I truly can’t believe that this is coming from a potential VP of the United States,” she stated.

Democratic politician Pete Buttigieg, another target of Vance’s critique, addressed the comments in light of his and his husband Chasten’s recent adoption journey. “The really sad thing is he said that after Chasten and I had been through a fairly heart-breaking setback in our adoption journey,” Buttigieg told CNN’s The Source.

Earlier this year, Vance also blocked legislation aimed at guaranteeing nationwide access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF), arguing that the Democratic bill was overly broad.

He, along with 48 other Republicans, signed a letter expressing support for IVF but criticized the bill’s approach.

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