By Salma El-Sakka
Vice President JD Vance faced criticism Thursday after responding to a college student's question about housing affordability with an off‑topic joke about Ohio Senator Jon Husted's rear end. The exchange occurred during a Fox News town hall at Texas Christian University, where student Kate White, vice president of the school's Turning Point USA chapter, asked how young Americans can afford to start families when the average U.S. home price exceeds $415,000.
Town Hall Exchange
Vance thanked White for the question but immediately diverted to Husted, the Republican senator who previously held Vance's Senate seat. "I've only been asked one question about Jon Husted's a** and it was by Jesse Watters," Vance said, referring to the Fox News host moderating the event. Watters laughed and Vance quipped that Watters should run for Senate as a Democrat in Texas.
Vance's Response on Housing Costs
After the joke, Vance acknowledged that Republicans had not done enough to address financial pressures on younger Americans, calling himself an exception. He said President Donald Trump is focused on restoring the American dream and making homeownership more attainable. Vance attributed rising housing costs partly to undocumented immigration under previous administrations and to home purchases by Wall Street firms and foreign investors. He also claimed Texas home listing prices had fallen 2.5 percent after a 100 percent increase under former President Joe Biden. Vance then offered personal advice: "It's never the right time, so go ahead and do it, because you're never going to regret getting married and having kids." Watters agreed, adding that sometimes "when you're in love, you just get pregnant, and you figure it out."
Trump's Previous Remarks
Vance's comment follows a series of remarks by Trump about Husted's physique during campaign appearances for the Ohio senator, who is seeking a full Senate term on November 3. At an October 12 rally in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump said he examined Husted's body after learning he was an All‑American football player, describing his legs, shoulders and hands. Trump later repeated the comments at several events, suggesting they had boosted Husted's poll numbers.
Backlash from Critics
The vice president's quip drew immediate backlash. Political commentator Krystal Ball called it a "tone‑deaf moment," while former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly said the remark was "disgusting, but not surprising." The official X account for California Governor Gavin Newsom's press office reacted with three question marks, and former Trump White House Press Secretary Sarah Matthews wrote: "I genuinely cannot believe this is a real exchange between a voter and the Vice President of the United States."
