Ever since Donald Trump announced JD Vance to be his Vice President, Vance has found himself embroiled in some controversy or another. His comments on single women, immigrants, childbirth rate, etc, have kept him in the news cycle every single day.
Amidst all these controversies, one topic of discussion that never left JD Vance’s side is his eyes or the alleged use of eyeliner.
https://youtu.be/ETpAsPak8nc?si=QpYXDU1mE7vFSjt0
There have always been rumors that the Ohio Republican uses makeup to accentuate his renownedly defined eyes. These rumors have been stoked by memes, jokes, and online conjecture. There were even screenshots taken during debate night.
What started out as a casual remark has developed into a full-fledged online mystery. There have been hypotheses ranging from subtle grooming practices to stage makeup.
Photojournalist Zach Roberts: “I really thought people were joking about this, but then I photographed him last week. Vance 100% does wear eyeliner.” pic.twitter.com/e9S2QA4WEs
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 3, 2024
Usha Vance has finally decided to correct the record amid the escalating rumors. She clearly denied the accusations in a reply to Puck News. She stated that her husband’s appearance is completely natural.
“I’ve always been envious of those lashes,” she jokingly remarked. There have been numerous takes of JD Vance using eyeliner, but Usha finally decided to get the record straight. This was after the recent episode of Saturday Night Live comedy.
In one of the episodes, Cecily Strong played Vance. She exaggerated his already remarkable characteristics to make a statement.
Cecily Strong is known for her keen impersonation. Her enactment raised attention to JD Vance’s appearance during an SNL routine. Her depiction of Vance made political fun of a personal characteristic by mainly relying on Vance’s eyeliner-like lash line.
Many viewers thought it was humorous. However, there were others who saw it as a part of a broader tendency that analyzes and meme-ifies physical looks, particularly in male politicians.
Apparently, these people forgot how male politicians make fun of their female colleagues yet do not enjoy the same treatment.
He is doing an excellent job. Trump picked an amazing VP.
Vice President JD Vance slams the media and Democrats for siding with illegal aliens as the Trump administration fights to secure the border and deport criminal migrants. pic.twitter.com/D1HL7WP9rf
— True Patriot 🇺🇸 (@Betrue_Patriot) April 17, 2025
The sketch re-ignited the discussions on political grooming. It was also intended to raise issues of gender-neutral media coverage and double standards.
One can assume that Usha has had enough. Her response to the sketch was composed and tactful. It was a powerful rebuttal to the media’s obsession.
However, it’s not only comedians and political commentators who have gone after JD Vance’s lashes. President Donald Trump has also made remarks about JD Vance’s appearance in the past.
He even compared JD Vance to film stars because of his piercing blue eyes and long lashes. These comments were the first to draw public attention to Vance’s looks.
Over the last few months, JD Vance’s looks have become the topic of discussion on social media platforms like TikTok and X.com. The fun topic of discussion is what kind of mascara he is wearing for such a dramatic effect.
JD Vance is gonna pay more for his eyeliner due to the China tariffs…🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/pwY56OqwoN
— CC 📸🧸🪅 (@CPhotographyC1) April 13, 2025
There have been posts from different beauty influencers, too. The conversation has capitalized on a wider societal change.
Real or imaginary, JD Vance’s lashes have become an unusual focal point of political pop culture at a time. And Vance should take the joke in stride after all the legislation passed by the government.
