Ohio Senator JD Vance has faced a roasting on social media for comments he made regarding Donald Trump’s friend, Laura Loomer.
Last week, Loomer, a far-right, conspiracy theorist made headlines for some of her social media postings. She also attended a 9/11 event with Trump, after notably describing the tragedy as an “inside job.”
In a tweet, Loomer also took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris. Loomer said, “If @KamalaHarris wins, the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center and the American people will only be able to convey their feedback through a customer satisfaction survey at the end of the call that nobody will understand.”
Many decried the message as disgustingly racist, including the likes of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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JD Vance: “I make a mean chicken curry”
On Sunday, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, responded to that comment by Loomer. It’s worth noting that Vance’s wife, Usha, is of Indian heritage. The couple have three children: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel.
On NBC’s Meet The Press with Kristen Welker, Vance was asked what he thought about Loomer saying the White House would “smell like curry” if Harris, who has mixed Jamaican-Indian heritage, won the election.
“Look, Laura Loomer is not affiliated with the Trump campaign,” Vance began. “She said something about curry in the White House that I first read about this morning actually, because I knew that you would ask me about it.
“Look, Kristen, I make a mean chicken curry. I don’t think that it’s insulting for anybody to talk about their dietary preferences or what they want to do in the White House. I think what Laura said about Kamala Harris is not what we should be focused on.
“We should be focused on the policy and on the issues. And look, so yeah, do I agree with what Laura Loomer said about Kamala Harris? No, I don’t. I also don’t think that this is actually an issue of national import. Is Laura Loomer running for president? No, Kamala Harris is running for president. And whether you’re eating curry at your dinner table or fried chicken, things have gotten more expensive thanks to her policies.”
Online, many seized upon the comments.
Curry or…fried chicken? Good lord he’s like the KKK whisperer https://t.co/ML6Oax6MNw
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) September 17, 2024
Wow. Vance is more afraid of Trump's racist girlfriend than he loves his wife. Or, he's just as racist as Laura Loomer. His poor kids.
— Polly Sigh (@dcpoll) September 17, 2024
he has watermelon for brains https://t.co/JxxbC4fY1q
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) September 17, 2024
JD Vance's kids are half Indian just like Kamala Harris is and he can't stand up for them, what a POS, and if he can't stand up for his kids, why would any one trust him to stand up for their kids?
— Henry the Dog (@DogHerny) September 17, 2024
You will not convince me that “fried chicken” is anything other than a deliberate choice to not just ignore the racism but actively increase it from this garbage human being https://t.co/4tIHaalEUB
— Danielle Blake (@abradacabla) September 17, 2024
RelatedThe resemblance is uncanny
“A crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage”
Vance and Taylor Greene are not the only GOP figures to attempt to distance themselves from Loomer. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis tweeted on Friday, “Laura Loomer is a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage intended to divide Republicans. A DNC plant couldn’t do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump’s chances of winning re-election. Enough.”
A Trump spokesperson has stated Laura Loomer does not work for the Trump campaign in any official capacity.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, former President Trump claimed to no little of some of the conspiracy theories Loomer has promoted.
“I don’t control Laura. Laura — she’s a, she’s a free spirit. Well, I don’t know. I mean, look, I can’t tell Laura what to do,” the GOP nominee said.
RelatedAnother deeply strange campaign choice