Critics Rip JD Vance Over ‘Most Cartoonishly Evil Laugh’ After Question About 2028 Election

Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday appeared on Fox News to saber-rattle against Iran, criticise Democrats and try to convince struggling Americans that President Donald Trump’s economic policies are working — but will only pay off at some nebulous time next year.

Critics on social media were most unnerved by one moment in particular, however, as his appearance on The Story with Martha MacCallum turned to the 2028 presidential election, and Vance let out what one user called “the most cartoonishly evil laugh I’ve ever heard.”

The laugh in question came after MacCallum asked Vance if he wishes Trump would just endorse him already and after she played a recent clip of Trump calling him “fantastic” — only to gush over Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the “great job” he’s been doing.

“I think it’s so interesting the media wants to create this conflict where there just isn’t any conflict,” Vance said on Tuesday. “Marco’s doing a great job, I’m trying to do as good of a job as I can, the president’s doing a great job, we’re going to keep on working together.”

MacCallum pushed back: “But surely as vice president you’d like to be president.”

Vance ultimately answered the question with the kind of diplomatic noncommittal one might expect from loyal members of Trump’s inner sanctum, but only after releasing what another user called “the forced laugh that first year theater kids practice before auditions.”

“Hahahaha,” Vance guffawed. “Would I? Well, look, I think, again, I’m going to try to do as good of a job as I can right now. So one of the things that I don’t like about this question and this entire perspective is I’ve been in this job for all of a year.”

He continued, “About six months ago — sorry, a year and six months ago — I asked the American people to give me this job that I have right now. Why don’t I do as good of a job as I can in this job, we’ll worry about the next job some time in the future.”

Some critics reacted with unbridled scepticism Tuesday and argued Vance “has not been given permission” to truthfully answer the question, noting he appeared to land in some rather hot water after telling NBC News in 2024 that Trump would veto an abortion ban.

“I’ve learned my lesson on speaking for the president before he and I have actually talked about an issue,” Vance later admitted during an interview on “Meet the Press” after Trump said he had never discussed the issue with him and that Vance wasn’t “speaking for me.”

Vance on Tuesday heaped mounds of praise on Rubio, describing him as his “closest friend in the administration.” He also claimed Iran is “not yet willing to actually acknowledge” the red lines Trump has set for them, which saw US crude oil prices jump by more than 3%.

The vice president went on to slam Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who warned during a panel discussion Friday at the Munich Security Council of Trump’s “authoritarian” plans for the world, for stating the US would support Taiwan if China were to invade it.

Critics are still struck by his laugh, however, as Vance appears to be an obvious Republican front-runner for 2028 — that is, unless Trump’s numerous comments about a third and unconstitutional term are far more serious than he recently claimed they were.

Trump’s own supporters erupted in a chant of “four more years” during his most recent public appearance, at a Black History Month event.