J.D. Vance reveals the moment he knew Tim Walz was the ‘weird’ one

J.D. Vance reveals the moment he knew Tim Walz was the ‘weird’ one – after Kamala Harris’ VP pick made bizarre gesture to his wife

  • Sen. Vance thinks Gov. Walz is ‘projecting’ in his ‘Republicans are weird’ attacks

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter In Washington, D.C.

Published: | Updated:

As Democrats continue their ‘Republicans are weird’ rhetoric, GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance insists the attack line is likely just ‘projection.’

Vance said Sunday morning that Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ‘aren’t comfortable in their own skin’ and are trying to convince Americans that Republicans are the weird ones.

‘They’re trying to distract from their own policy failures. I mean look, this is fundamentally schoolyard bully stuff,’ Vance told CNN‘s Dana Bash in an interview aired on State of the Union. ‘They can accuse me or whatever they want to accuse me of.’

‘I accept their attacks but I think that it is a little bit of projection.’

The Ohio Senator then specifically pointed to the awkward moment where Gov. Walz gave his wife Gwen a handshake on stage and tried to segue it into a half hug. 

Sen. J.D. Vance said Democrats are ‘projecting’ with their ‘Republicans are weird’ rhetoric 

Donald Trump Jr. made note of the moment on X with a clip of the interaction along with: ‘Totally normal to greet your wife with a firm handshake and a bro hug/back slap. Tim Walz isn’t weird at all, guys.’

And Vance also thinks the handshake was an example of how Walz is trying to deflect from his awkwardness by repeatedly calling him weird.

‘When I had just been announced as the VP nominee, I gave my big speech and I saw my wife and I gave her a big hug and a kiss because I love my wife and I think that’s what a normal person does,’ Vance recalled.

‘Tim Walz gave his wife a name, firm midwestern handshake and then tried to sort of awkwardly correct for it.’

‘I think what it is, is two people, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, who aren’t comfortable in their own skin, because they’re uncomfortable with their policy positions for the American people,’ Vance told Bash.

‘And so they’re name-calling instead of actually telling the American people how they’re going to make their lives better,’ he said. ‘I think that’s weird, Dana. But look, they can call me whatever they want to.’

He pointed to the moment when Democratic VP candidate Gov. Tim Walz shook his wife’s hand on stage at the first rally where he appeared alongside VP Kamala Harris last week

Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz appear at a rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the day Harris announced Walz as her running mate 

Walz appears to be the first to call the 2024 Republican ticket weird – mostly leveling the attacks towards Vance – and the line has now caught on as a popular attack for other Democrats to use.

Both Vance and Walz are midwesterners and have touted their roots and upbringings as proof they know they are in step with what matters to middle Americans.

Trump insisted that the line is mostly about Vance, which the VP candidate accepted.

But the Republican senator brushed off the attacks in a round of show appearances on Sunday morning. 

Donald Trump Jr. posted video of the awkward on-stage handshake between Tim and Gwen Walz that turned into a side hug

Bash asked Vance about Trump’s response to the ‘weird’ attacks, to which the former president said: ‘Not me, they’re talking about JD.’

Vance chuckled and replied: ‘Certainly they’ve levied that charge at me more than anyone else.’

‘But I think that drives home how they’re trying to distract from their own policy failures,’ Vance added. ‘This is fundamentally schoolyard stuff.’

Harris announced on Tuesday that chose Walz as her running mate. 

The VP and Walz appeared at their first rally together later that evening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – where the Walz’s awkward handshake-turned-kiss took place. 

Read More

  • Related Posts

    CIA head reveals National Guard shooting suspect worked with spy agency in Afghanistan as Trump blasts Biden for flying him in during disastrous withdrawal from country

    The head of the CIA has sensationally revealed the suspected shooter of two National Guard troops in Washington, DC previously worked with the agency in Afghanistan. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was…

    Spy chief reveals MI5 thwarted Chinese plot to attack Britain’s national security last week

    MI5 thwarted a Chinese plot to attack Britain’s national security in the last week, its spy chief revealed today as he told of his frustration at the spy case collapse.…

    You Missed

    ‘We will remember them’: Princess of Wales’s touching tribute to the fallen at moving Armistice Day service

    • By poster
    • January 8, 2026
    • 1 views
    ‘We will remember them’: Princess of Wales’s touching tribute to the fallen at moving Armistice Day service

    Inside the shocking $100,000 crime spree of crooked cop we are banned from telling you who he REALLY is for 20 YEARS

    • By poster
    • January 8, 2026
    • 1 views
    Inside the shocking $100,000 crime spree of crooked cop we are banned from telling you who he REALLY is for 20 YEARS

    What do you give the man who has lost everything? Andrew Mountbatten Windsor may get a HYPHEN in his commoner surname

    • By poster
    • January 8, 2026
    • 1 views
    What do you give the man who has lost everything? Andrew Mountbatten Windsor may get a HYPHEN in his commoner surname

    Putin’s ‘Mad Max’ infantry: Russian column travelling in stripped-back cars missing doors and windows is seen advancing through fog like scene from apocalyptic movie

    • By poster
    • January 8, 2026
    • 1 views
    Putin’s ‘Mad Max’ infantry: Russian column travelling in stripped-back cars missing doors and windows is seen advancing through fog like scene from apocalyptic movie

    Dozens of cruise passengers are left floating in the Caribbean Sea after 40ft catamaran sinks during excursion

    • By poster
    • January 8, 2026
    • 1 views
    Dozens of cruise passengers are left floating in the Caribbean Sea after 40ft catamaran sinks during excursion

    Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and other GOP operatives for trying to overturn 2020 election

    • By poster
    • January 8, 2026
    • 1 views
    Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and other GOP operatives for trying to overturn 2020 election