Vice President Vance addressed the recent controversy surrounding the Young Republicans group chat on Wednesday, expressing that he did not want the participants’ lives to be marred by what he characterized as “stupid” jokes. He referred to the remarks as the misguided humor of “kids” and urged the public not to overreact.
During an appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show,” now hosted by associates of the late conservative activist, Vance reiterated his stance from a viral tweet dismissing the uproar over a new Politico report. He criticized the “pearl clutching” reactions that followed the revelations.
Vance shared his intentions to advise his children, “especially my boys,” on the importance of being cautious with their online communications. He warned them to be wary of potential leaks, suggesting that malicious actors might exploit such content to harm them or their families.
“The truth is, kids often make foolish decisions. Young boys, in particular, are known to share edgy, sometimes offensive jokes,” Vance explained. “I am concerned about a society where a youthful, albeit offensive joke, could lead to the destruction of a young person’s future.”
Earlier this week, Politico released a revealing report, uncovering thousands of text messages from a Young Republicans group chat. Participants in the chat engaged in racial stereotyping, used derogatory language towards the LGBTQ+ community, and made light of sensitive topics such as gas chambers, slavery, and rape.
The chat included exchanges among roughly a dozen leaders linked to the Young Republican National Federation, a political organization representing 15,000 Republicans aged 18 to 40. These discussions took place over a period exceeding seven months this year.
A Mother Jones story pushed back on Vance’s characterization of the participants as “kids,” reporting that 8 of the 11 members in the chat spanned the ages of 24-35, while the progressive-leaning magazine said it could not verify the ages of the other three participants. The Daily Beast reported that Peter Giunta, one of the key figures in the chat, is 31 years old.
Members of the chat held various roles in Republican politics, including a Vermont senator, a New York assemblyman’s chief of staff, an official at the U.S. Small Business Administration and a communications staffer in the Kansas attorney general’s office.
The reporting sent waves through political circles, as the Young Republican leaders mentioned in the story — from New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont — drew intense scrutiny and backlash, including from members of the GOP. Some were promptly fired from their positions, while others are facing calls to resign.
Vance, in his Wednesday interview, described the outrage following the Politico report as a form of cancel culture that needs to be stopped.
“At some point, we’re all going to have to say, ‘Enough of this BS. We’re not going to allow the worst moment in a 21-year-old’s group chat to ruin a kid’s life for the rest of time. That’s just not okay… We’re not canceling kids because they do something stupid in a group chat.”
“And if I have to be the person who carries that message forward, I’m fine with it,” he said.
Vance said he would feel the same way if the participants of the chat were on the other side of the political spectrum.
“And by the way, if they were left-wing kids telling stupid left-wing jokes, I would also not want their lives to be ruined because they’re saying something stupid in a private group chat,” he added.
