On Tuesday (March 4), President Donald Trump delivered his first congressional address of his second term.
The 78-year-old’s speech was packed with bold statements, from promising to take Greenland “one way or another” to reading a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about potential peace talks in the ongoing Ukraine- Russia war.
But while Trump was making headlines for his vision for America and the world, social media had its attention locked on something else entirely – Vice President JD Vance’s trousers.
The 40-year-old VP has found himself at the center of controversy in recent weeks.
His remarks about the UK’s role in supporting Ukraine – claiming the US could offer a “way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years” – managed to unite British politicians across party lines in outrage.
He also faced backlash for what many called an “embarrassing” comment during a meeting with Zelenskyy alongside Trump.
But now, the internet has shifted its focus from his foreign policy stances to his fashion choices, specifically, his oddly short trousers.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) posted a photo of the politician at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where his pants sat noticeably high above his ankles, captioning it: “Say hello to tiny pants Vance.”
The hashtag #TinyPantsVance quickly took off, with social media users roasting the Vice President for his ill-fitting suits.
“How can anyone take Vance seriously? His trousers are halfway up his legs,” one person joked. Another quipped: “Here, Vice President J. D. #Vance, shows us how dealing with an economic crisis can also be done by saving on the fabric of the trousers.”
A third wondered who was responsible for dressing the VP: “Our local Goodwill has a better tailor on staff than whoever is throwing clothes on you!”
Some compared his look to outdated fashion trends, with one person remarking: “In my youth, what Vance is wearing was called Capri shorts.”
Another took it a step further, suggesting Vance needed an upgrade: “People might (might) listen if you got a pair of big-boy-Vance pants. A pair that at least break on the foot arch and go mid-heel, not mid-calf. Just… who the hell dresses you?”
A quick search reveals that Vance stands at 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm), several inches taller than the average American man. That might explain why some off-the-rack trousers don’t fit quite right.
The scrutiny over Vance’s wardrobe comes just days after the Ukrainian President was criticized by pro-Trump journalist Brian Glenn for not wearing a suit during wartime.
Glenn directly asked the Ukrainian leader, “Why don’t you wear a suit?” to which Zelenskyy responded: “I will wear costume [a Ukrainian translation for suit is ‘kostyum’] after this war will finish.”
Now, in an ironic twist, it’s Vance’s clothing choices that are under the spotlight.
