With the Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs, the celebration has begun.
Whether it will be at the White House – President Donald Trump has yet to announce a formal invitation – will be a “team decision,” says veteran offensive lineman Lane Johnson.
“I’d be honored to go, regardless of who the president is, but we’ll see,” Johnson said via Sportico’s Eric Jackson. “It’s ultimately a team decision. I’ll do what’s best for the team.”
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Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson during a press conference in advance of Super Bowl LIX(Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)
Johnson is a team captain with the Eagles, having spent all 12 of his NFL seasons with the franchise.
He was there in 2018 when controversy came back after their Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Trump was in office when he rescinded his invitation to the Eagles to celebrate their Super Bowl LII victory, as some players said they would not visit the White House due to Trump’s criticism of those who kneeled or raised their fists during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
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Trump released a statement at the time regarding his invitation cancellation, saying “the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better.”
“They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country,” Trump’s statement read seven years ago.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) shakes hands with quarterback Jalen Hurts during the second half of Super Bowl LIX.(Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was asked before Super Bowl LIX if he would head to the White House if his team won.
“I just want to win Sunday,” he responded, via Front Office Sports.
Josh Sweat, an Eagle with a crucial performance on Sunday with 2.5 sacks on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, added, “It’s a great honor, but I’m looking forward to this parade more than anything.”
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson speaks with the media during a press conference at Hilton New Orleans Riverside.(Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)
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The Eagles will have their championship parade in Philadelphia on Friday.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
House Speaker Mike Johnson poked fun at “flailing” Democrats on Sunday and vowed that the House of Representatives would be just as aggressive in pushing legislation as President Donald Trump has been with executive orders.
Johnson made the statement during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream. Johnson said House Republicans are working to compile the massive legislative package Trump has requested.
“We’re going to secure the border, we’re going to make sure that American communities are safe. We’re going to get American energy dominance going again in the economy and restore common sense,” Johnson said.
“But to do all that in one big bill takes a little bit of time. So we’re working through that process very productively. We’ve been building on this for a year, Shannon. All through last year, we had our committees of jurisdiction working on the ideas to put it together,” he added.
SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN
House Speaker Mike Johnson says his Democratic colleagues are “flailing.”(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
“We were going to do a budget committee markup next week. We might push it a little bit further because the details really matter. Remember that I have the smallest margin in history, about a two vote margin currently. So I’ve got to make sure everyone agrees before we bring the project forward, that final product, and we’ve got a few more boxes to check, but we’re getting very, very close,” he continued.
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The budget bill process has not been without its share of in-fighting, however. Republican spending hawks are pushing leaders to include at least $2.5 trillion in spending cuts in the massive legislative package.
President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to move forward with a massive legislative package.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
One GOP lawmaker said that tension bubbled up in a closed-door meeting last week with several “heated exchanges,” with conservatives demanding a concrete plan and minimum spending cuts at significantly higher levels than what was initially proposed.
“I think there’s a lot of frustration right now,” the lawmaker told Fox News Digital. “They’ve been trying to be inclusive, but not every open forum they’ve offered is giving members the ability to say, ‘I feel like people are listening to me,’ because I don’t know that’s the case right now.”
Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.(Getty Images)
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Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., two conservative members of the House Budget Committee, both told reporters they wanted to see the baseline for spending cuts set at roughly $2.5 trillion.
Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza a “bold step” toward restoring peace in the region.
“Of course, the initial announcement yesterday, I think, was greeted with surprise by many, but cheered by, I think, people all around the world,” Johnson said during his weekly press conference on Wednesday.
“Why? Because that area is so dangerous, and he’s taking bold, decisive action to try to ensure the peace of that region.”
SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN
Speaker Mike Johnson hailed President Trump’s proposal on Gaza as a ‘bold’ move.(Getty Images)
Johnson also noted that conditions in Gaza needed to change in order to avoid another attack similar to Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel and killed over 1,000 people.
He stopped short of fully endorsing the action, however, and was later pressed again on whether he believed the U.S. should take control of Gaza.
“This is a bold, a decisive move. And I think you have to do something to eradicate the threat to Israel. Here’s the problem – if you leave Gaza in its current form, there’s always a risk of another Oct. 7. There’s always a risk of proxies of Iran, all these terrorist organizations whose stated, openly stated goal is to eliminate Israel as a state,” Johnson said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference, February 4, 2025( REUTERS/Leah Millis)
“So it just makes sense to make the neighborhood there safer. I think that’s logical. I think it follows common sense.”
Trump told reporters, “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip,” during a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all the dangerous unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site,” he said.
GOP LAWMAKER CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING OVER DC PLANE CRASH
People inspect the debris and rubble at the site of Israeli bombardment on a residential block in Jalaa Street in Gaza City on Jan. 14, 2025, amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas.(OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)
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Trump said it would “create economic development that would supply unlimited numbers of jobs” and the U.S. would turn the war-torn region into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Johnson said he would discuss the matter during his own meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
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NEW ORLEANS – Quincy Williams looked at his New York Jets teammate Jermaine Johnson on Tuesday on Radio Row in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX and made a statement.
“I’m tired of losing,” the Jets star linebacker said in an interview with Fox News Digital while discussing his partnership with Bounty.
Johnson replied, “Oh man, I’m tired of losing.”
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New York Jets new head coach Aaron Glenn speaks during a press conference at the NFL football team’s training facility on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Florham Park, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Since joining the Jets in 2021 after two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Williams has seen 23 Jets wins to 45 losses – a .338 win percentage. Johnson came in as a first-round pick in 2022, and though he only played two games this past year due to a torn Achilles, he has also seen his Jets under .500 in his three seasons with the club.
That wasn’t supposed to be the case in 2023 when the team traded for Aaron Rodgers and had a roster many believed would break their decade-plus-long playoff drought. We all know how that played out after just four snaps into Week 1 that year.
A 5-12 record, which saw head coach Robert Saleh ousted while the team continued to struggle, ultimately led to another new head coaching hire, and it’s someone the organization knows quite well in Aaron Glenn.
HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI
A first-round pick by the organization in 1994, Glenn played cornerback for the Jets for eight of his 15 years in the league before getting into coaching. This will be his first head coaching gig, but Williams and Johnson expressed their excitement for having him in the building to lead them where they want to go.
And that’s winning football games.
“I’m excited to see the culture that he preaches, and also, the foundation that we’re going to build together. Because we have to have a strong foundation before we build anything up,” Williams explained.
When it comes to that foundation, Glenn set the tone by saying, “We’re built for this s—” during his introductory press conference.
Now, Williams and Johnson have heard it before with Saleh, whose motto was “All Gas, No Brakes,” which came from his own intro presser.
Quincy Williams #56 of the New York Jets stretches out his arms on the field prior to the start of the game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium on September 19, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
But these Jets veterans know that players buying in, especially those senior leaders, are what will drive this team in the right direction moving into 2025.
Johnson provided an anecdote to explain why culture and foundation in the locker room is so important to success. And no, his story doesn’t come from his time in the league, but rather his career at Independence Community College – a powerhouse junior college squad that was on the fourth season of Netflix’s popular show “Last Chance U.”
“My first year [in JUCO], we had a bunch of no-names, me included,” he began. “Ain’t nobody knew me when I’m coming out of Minnesota going to junior college. We basically were the first team in school history, or 50 years, to win a bowl game and win the conference championship. Again, I get it, it’s junior college. But we had a bunch of no-names and nobody knew [us]. We didn’t have a bunch of DI players who came to play junior college – we had a bunch of grinders, right? And we got it done.
“My junior college conference, in all of America, was the most competitive conference to play in. Alvin Kamara came from it, other notable guys came from that conference. Long story short, the next year, we had all these guys bounce back – this guy played at ‘Bama, this guy played at Auburn, this guy played at Florida State. And we’re on Netflix again. Obviously, this is the school to beat. Bro…we went 2-8.
“So, I say that to say you can have the best, most talented roster in the world. You can have all the hype. If your culture and your foundation isn’t right, it doesn’t matter, and it will always be that way on all levels of football.”
Johnson didn’t say it directly, but that story has parallels with the Jets. A four-time MVP quarterback, offensive weapons galore including one that was traded for mid-season with a rapport with said quarterback, a top-three defense in yards allowed the last two season. Yet, the record is what it is despite the talent.
So, yes, Johnson and Williams likely speak for their Jets brothers when they say they’re tired of losing. But they’re optimistic that Glenn and this new regime, which includes new general Darren Mougey, are the right group to take them forward.
“I’m excited to start things new and start things with a great regime that I really feel like we have. And I already know the character of the guys in the locker room, so I know what they can do on the field. I’m excited to attack this season.”
STAYING CLEAN WITH BOUNTY
Another Super Bowl means another Super Bowl party that many will be attending this year. That means there will be some delictable eats, and wings are usually on the menu no matter where you go for the “Big Game.”
Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi.(Tubi)
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That’s what Johnson and Williams were munching on during the interview, and the former even dropped a wing, which spoke to the reason why they both partnered with Bounty. They needed a sturdy paper towel to clean it up.
“You can have all the best food in the world, you can have the best party, but think about how messed up things can get with somebody’s hands all dirty, somebody spilled something. Look, what I’ve learned in life is, you may not be responsible for the mess, or you may be. Nevertheless, you need something to clean it up and do a good job. So, we got Bounty.”
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DORAL, Fla. — Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggested Monday that he is open to conditioning California wildfire aid on forcing the state to embrace voter ID laws.
President Donald Trump floated the idea on Friday, the same day he visited flame-ravaged Los Angeles.
Johnson said he had not spoken with Trump personally about the issue yet but criticized the progressive stronghold’s handling of elections and other policy decisions that led to the fire.
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Speaker Mike Johnson suggested he could support President Trump’s call to condition wildfire aid to California(Getty Images/Shutterstock)
“Listen, there are a lot of issues going on in California, and we have been lamenting the lack of voter security there for some time,” Johnson said.
He then referenced three seats in California that Republicans lost in close House races this past November – though there have been no reports or instances of fraud detected in any of those match-ups.
“We saw three of our seats, frankly, slip away from us in the weeks that it took to continue counting ballots in California, when seemingly every other state in the nation, in America, can get it done. It’s inexcusable,” Johnson said. “[California Gov. Gavin Newsom] provides, I think, such a lack of leadership there in so many ways, and it was highlighted by the disaster with the fires.”
Newsom and Trump face off on the tarmac in Los Angeles.(Pool)
Democrats, including Newsom, have widely panned Republican suggestions of conditioning wildfire aid to California. Several have noted in their attacks that Johnson’s home state of Louisiana has been a recipient of federal aid through multiple hurricane seasons.
But Johnson said the discussions were “a common sense notion that is supported by the vast majority of the American people who do not want to subsidize crazy California leftist policies.”
“Now, what the terms are and the details of that, we will be working it out. But entwined in all of that is the concern about election security in California. And voter ID is a matter that, again, comports with common sense, that most American people see the value in,” Johnson said.
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People watch the smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Johnson and other House GOP leaders held a press conference to kick off their annual issues conference at Trump’s golf course near Miami, Florida.
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They will be in South Florida through Wednesday discussing how to carry out Trump’s vision for an active first 100 days of his new administration.
Johnson also suggested that conditioning wildfire aid to California will be a topic of discussion when Trump meets with House Republicans during their retreat on Monday evening.
Newsom told reporters when asked about Trump’s suggestion, “I have all the confidence in the world we’ll work that out.”
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
University of South Carolina athletics said Sunday it suspended the DJ who played a song to troll the LSU Tigers women’s basketball team and its star Flau’jae Johnson after the Gamecocks’ win in their pivotal matchup.
No. 2 South Carolina topped No. 5 LSU, 66-56, on Friday night. The Gamecocks’ win ended the Tigers’ undefeated streak to start the season.
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LSU head coach Kim Mulkey talks to guard Flau’jae Johnson during the game against South Carolina in Columbia, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.(AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
South Carolina’s official DJ, DJ T.O., played the instrumental version of Camoflauge’s “Cut Friends.” Camoflauge was shot and killed in Savannah, Georgia, outside Pure Pain Records while he was walking his son. He is the father of Flau’jae Johnson and the shooting occurred six months before she was born, according to NOLA.com.
DJ T.O. reshared someone’s post about the song on Instagram and wrote “My bad” with a cry-laughing emoji.
Flau’jae is a rapper in her own right and has dedicated her career to her late father. She called out the DJ on X.
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LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson goes up to shoot a jumper over Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jan. 13, 2025.(AP Photo/Peter Forest)
“I’ll take my L on the chin, but this just nasty behavior. Nun funny bout that,” Johnson wrote on Saturday.
South Carolina then addressed the incident.
“We are addressing Friday night’s inappropriate in-game song selection and subsequent Instagram post by the DJ who is hired to work our women’s basketball games,” the school said. “Her actions were understandably upsetting to Flau’jae Johnson and her family and disrespectful to the LSU program and fans. Conference rivalries and passionate fan bases should only serve to enhance sports, not be used to target individual players personally.
LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson shoots past Florida guard Me’Arah O’Neal on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida.(AP Photo/Alan Youngblood)
“We regret that it came to that in our venue after a game that saw both teams capture the level of national attention that women’s basketball has earned and we apologize to Flau’jae, her family and LSU.
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“As a result of her actions, DJ T.O. will be suspended for the next women’s basketball home game, and we will meet with her to provide further education on our expectations of her in the future.”
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is inviting President Donald Trump to address a joint session of Congress on March 4.
SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD ROOT FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SUCCESS
In a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital, Johnson wrote to the new president, “Thanks to your strong leadership and bold action in the first days of your presidency, the United States is already experiencing a resurgence of patriotism, unity, and hope for the future.”
President Donald Trump speaks at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Saturday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
“Your administration and the 119th Congress working together have the chance to make these next four years some of the most consequential in our nation’s history,” the speaker wrote.
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“To that end, it is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future. I eagerly await your response.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The letter comes just before Trump is expected to address House Republicans at their annual issues conference and retreat, being held this year in South Florida.
JOHNSON REVEALS TRUMP’S WISHES ON DELIVERING HUGE POLICY OVERHAUL IN CLOSED-DOOR MEETING
House GOP lawmakers will be meeting at Trump’s golf course and resort in Doral for three days as they work to hash out a roadmap on government spending and plans for a major conservative policy overhaul.
U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)
Trump signaled for weeks before being sworn in that he was positioning for a very active first 100 days of his new administration.
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Republicans now control both the House and Senate as well as the White House. But with razor-thin majorities in both chambers, GOP lawmakers will need to vote in near lock-step to carry out Trump’s plans.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says former President Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons of his family members were “shocking” and “disgusting.”
“It was shocking. I mean, it was shocking what President Biden did on the way out, pardoning his family for more than a decade of whatever activity, any nonviolent offenses. It was breathtaking to us,” Johnson said Wednesday during the House Republican leadership’s weekly press conference.
“I don’t think that’s anything like that’s ever been anticipated. And by the way, go look at the tape. You know, four years ago when it was just implied that President Trump might do something similar, they were apoplectic. Joe Biden himself, Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer, roll the tape. They all said that would be crazy and unconscionable. And now they’re cheering it along,” Johnson continued.
“To us, it is disgusting. To us, it probably proves the point. The suspicion that, you know, they call it the Biden crime family. If they weren’t the crime family, why do they need pardons? Right?” Johnson also said. “Look, there’s a lot of attention that’s going to be paid to this. And I think that is appropriate. And we will be looking at it as well.”
4 TRUMP RIVALS THAT BIDEN DIDN’T PARDON
Johnson listens as President Donald Trump speaks after taking the oath of office at the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Monday, Jan. 20.(Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)
Biden pardoned his siblings just minutes before leaving office on Monday.
The pardon applied to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden, the White House announced. The president argued that his family could be subject to “politically motivated investigations” after he leaves office.
“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families,” Biden said in a statement.
“Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances,” Biden added.
The pardons have been widely criticized, with Trump-Vance transition senior adviser Jason Miller describing them to Fox News as “nonsense.”
“I think for Joe Biden to do that, I thought that was nonsense,” he said.
‘THE VIEW’ CO-HOST SLAMS BIDEN’S LAST-SECOND PREEMPTIVE PARDONS, SAYS HIS LEGACY IS TARNISHED
Biden and the former first lady board Special Air Mission 46 at Joint Base Andrews following inauguration ceremonies on Monday. Biden pardoned his family members just minutes before leaving office.(Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Former Biden White House communications director Kate Bedingfield also called them a “disappointing move.”
Biden issued another wave of pre-emptive pardons earlier Monday morning, those going to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and people associated with the House select committee investigation on January 6.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump signed off on releasing more than 1,500 charged with crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson speaks to reporters in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 22.(Fox News)
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“The President has made his decision,” Johnson said Wednesday when asked about those pardons.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Anders Hagstrom, Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown and the rest of his teammates will be heading into the 2025 season without two coordinators who helped turn them into a league powerhouse.
Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, while Aaron Glenn became head coach of the team that drafted him in 1994, the New York Jets.
St. Brown was closer to Johnson, the innovative play-caller who helped scheme a Lions offense that led the NFL in points per game in 2024.
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Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.(Daniel Bartel/Imagn Images)
When talking about Johnson’s departure for the Bears on his “St. Brown Podcast” with older brother Equanimeous, St. Brown said he spoke with his former coordinator after he signed his deal to head to the Windy City.
And the message was pretty clear.
“I told him, I said, ‘Two times a year, Ben, we’re going to f— you up,’” St. Brown told his brother while laughing.
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Johnson, though, had a similar response for his former pupil.
“I’m going to f— you up,” St. Brown recalls Johnson replying.
The relationship is clearly one of mutual respect, and competitive banter is something that usually follows there.
“OK, we’ll see,” St. Brown fired back at Johnson. “I told him I know all the plays he likes to run. I know all his tendencies, and we were going back and forth messing around.”
Though the jabs were playful, St. Brown and Johnson will have to turn their friendship to the side twice a year as long as Johnson is the head coach of the Bears.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown runs for a touchdown during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Detroit Nov. 17, 2024 (Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
With the conference championship games being played this weekend to determine who plays in the Super Bowl, the Lions were expected to be back where they were in January 2024, when they had a second-half collapse against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game.
However, the Lions were eliminated in a 45-31 loss at Ford Field to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round, and Johnson was heading to Chicago days later.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ben Johnson are already kicking off their new rivalry. (Imagn)
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Johnson has the Bears’ 2024 No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, to mold alongside some solid offensive weapons like D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. St. Brown has also shown respect to Williams in the past, especially given their USC connection, but the Lions took down the Bears twice this season.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
House Speaker Mike Johnson channeled his inner dad energy as he excitedly recorded Vice President JD Vance’s first time in the Oval Office. The speaker not only celebrated the moment, but he noted Vance’s background, saying his story is one that could happen “only in America.”
“As we gathered for our meeting at the White House yesterday, JD Vance mentioned to us that he had never before visited the Oval Office. I told him and President Trump that I HAD to capture the moment on video,” Johnson wrote in a post on X. “Only in America can a hardworking young man from Appalachia rise from his humble circumstances to enter the Oval for first time as VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. What a country!”
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS MEET WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, VP VANCE TO ADVANCE AGENDA
Vice President JD Vance, President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson speak during the 60th presidential inauguration in Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.(Alexander Drago/Pool via Reuters)
Vance’s background took center stage in the campaign as then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, D-Min., made a joke about no one from his small town going to Yale, where Vance got his law degree.
“Now, I grew up in Butte, Nebraska, a town of 400 people. I had 24 kids in my high school class, and none of them went to Yale,” Walz said during his remarks at the Democratic National Convention.
The Trump campaign was quick to call out Walz’s remarks on social media, calling it a “weird flex.”
Vice President JD Vance takes his oath as his wife Usha Vance watches during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.(Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)
WHO IS TRUMP’S RUNNING MATE JD VANCE?
Before he was chosen as President Donald Trump’s running mate, Vance served as a senator from Ohio after winning the seat in 2022. However, the current vice president entered the public eye in 2016 when he published his book, “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” In the book, he details his challenging upbringing in Middletown, Ohio.
Surrounded by poverty, and grappling with his mother’s drug addiction, Vance worked his way into a position to make change.
In 2020, years after the memoir was published, it was turned into a Netflix movie, which was directed by Ron Howard and starred Glenn Close and Amy Adams. “Hillbilly Elegy” faced fierce criticism, which both Close and Adams rejected. Recently, while on “The View,” Close praised the vice president’s “very generous family.”
Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump look on during a rally on Inauguration Day.(Reuters/Mike Segar)
GLENN CLOSE PRAISES ‘GENEROUS’ FAMILY OF JD VANCE DURING ‘HILLBILLY ELEGY’ FILMING, AS ‘VIEW’ HOSTS TAKE JABS
Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, has been sober for a decade. Aikins briefly addressed the crowd at the Ohio inaugural ball, which was held in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night. She informed the crowd that she officially hit 10 years of sobriety that day and that the next day was her birthday, in addition to it being her son’s inauguration, Cincinnati.com reported.
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Vance returned to his hometown for a rally held at Middletown High School, from which he graduated in 2003. He told the crowd that the town was “so good to me,” and that he was “proud” to be from Middletown.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
