Expert explains JD Vance’s rise as the latest meme in political culture for both left and right
ByBhavika Rathore
Mar 07, 2025 09:13 PM IST
JD Vance has become a meme representing political polarisation, with varying interpretations from the left and right. Expert explains the phenomenon.
JD Vance’s face has become a symbol of internet meme culture, distorted and exaggerated countless times on social media. With his image repeatedly manipulated, it’s easy for both political enthusiasts and casual online users to forget what the former Ohio senator looks like. Vance has transformed into the latest meme sensation, a blank slate for online partisans and trolls to project their interpretations and agendas.
JD Vance has become a viral meme, symbolizing political polarization as both left and right reshape his image. ((Brandon Bell/Pool via AP))
JD Vance has become a viral meme, symbolizing political polarization as both left and right reshape his image. ((Brandon Bell/Pool via AP))
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Experts weigh in on JD Vance being the meme of the moment
In recent months, the left has turned JD Vance into a pouty, chubby cherub, meant to represent a whiny child throwing a tantrum. On the other hand, the right has reshaped him into a tough, nationalist figure. His image keeps changing, twisted and edited to match the beliefs and opinions of whoever is controlling the online narrative.
Jamie Cohen, an assistant professor of media studies at New York’s Queens College shared with The Washington Post, “This is a bit of a Rorschach test for politics in general. The MAGA right sees Vance as becoming torchbearer of the movement. The left sees him as a potential shill for whatever he needs to do to make himself more politically usable. And that’s how you get all these different remixes.”
Cohen added that Vance’s meme phenomenon is not just an internet joke but a culmination of politics, technology and the online culture. With the rise of AI and apps like Facetune, altering the faces of public figures has become effortless, transforming them into flexible symbols.
In today’s digital age, where memes heavily influence public opinion, politicians are often reshaped to reflect society’s fears, frustrations, and ideals, becoming vessels for online expression. While many viral figures either shy away from the attention or try to use it to their advantage, JD Vance has stayed quiet on the meme frenzy.
However, according to Julio Rosas, a reporter at The Blaze, the vice president actually finds the whole thing amusing. Cohen shared, “Right now, we’re still in the ‘collector space’ — people are creating alternate versions, hoarding them, pushing the meme in stranger directions. Until that energy fades, there’s no reason for it to die down,’ adding that this will continue until he starts pushing back.
Where it goes from here is uncertain, but for Cohen, the meme’s true meaning lies in the people who create and share it. He said, “When people feel detached from politics, they turn to online expression,” he said. “This meme is an easy entry point. You don’t need special skills to participate, and it feels cathartic from both sides — whether you’re posting Vance as a Chad or a chubby, Willy Wonka-type of character.”
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About the Vance meme phenomenon
The Vance memes gained traction after last week’s heated Oval Office meeting between the Trump administration and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They have turned into a battleground of perception. Each side uses the memes to push their own narrative.
This influences how Vance, and political figures in general, are viewed in today’s political landscape. Cohen told the media outlet, “The left saw Vance as a petulant child throwing a tantrum and interrupting Zelensky,” while the right showed him “as a hardened hero championing America First. That’s one of the reasons why you get this dichotomy in the memes.”
Vance has long been a target for waves of memes, but the latest and most intense stretch back to at least last autumn, a surprisingly long time in the fast-moving world of internet culture. According to Know Your Meme, the digital distortion began in October 2024, when an X user posted a lightly edited photo with subtly rounder cheeks.
From there, his features continued to soften, and his serious expression transformed into something more akin to a Gerber baby in a suit. Counter-memes followed, with Rep. Mike Collins posting an edited version of his official portrait, giving him a sculpted jawline and cheekbones like a Renaissance statue, as reported by The Washington Post.
Some even pushed it further, turning him into an exaggerated hypermasculine figure — tanner and more rugged. But the memes only grew stranger after the fiery confrontation with Zelensky, particularly after he demanded that the Ukrainian leader thank President Donald Trump and American taxpayers for their support.
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