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Ever since JD Vance was selected as Donald Trump’s running mate for the 2024 presidential election, the internet has had much to say about the Ohio senator.
Within a few short weeks, the 39-year-old potential vice president has gone from best-selling author of Hillbilly Elegy to one of the worst-polling, non-incumbent vice presidential picks since 1980. Like many things these days, much of Vance’s net-negative rating has to do with social media.
For those who are unaware, Vance recently sparked a social media firestorm over past comments he made about Vice President Kamala Harris, in which he described her as a “childless” cat lady. His resurfaced comments – which he made during a 2021 interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson – received backlash from Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston and childfree people everywhere.
But that wasn’t the only Vance-related topic of conversation to go viral online. While the most bizarre rumor to be spread about Vance seemingly involves a couch, some internet sleuths are more perplexed by Vance’s appearance, particularly when it comes to his distinct blue eyes.
Across platforms like X, formerly Twitter, many social media users are wondering whether Vance wears eyeliner to enhance his bright blue eyes. The speculation appeared to begin just two weeks ago, when journalist James Surowiecki quote-tweeted a clip of Vance from a September 2021 video interview.
“Why does JD Vance always look like he’s wearing eyeliner?” Surowiecki wrote over the video, adding: “He doesn’t really seem like the goth-boy type.”
Unsurprisingly, this prompted thousands of social media users to share photos of Vance from past on-air television appearances, zooming in on what appeared to be a black smudge accentuating his waterline.
“There is only one urgent political question on my mind tonight. Why does JD Vance wear so much eyeliner?” one person asked on X, while another user joked: “I do think it’s funny that JD Vance thought all his problems could be solved with contour and a little eyeliner.”
“I’ve been saying JD Vance wears eyeliner since he got elected, I’m so damn happy someone else sees it!!!” someone else posted.
Meanwhile, photojournalist Zach D Roberts shared his own photo of Vance taken during a recent speaking engagement, in which a black line was clearly visible under his bottom eyelashes. “I really thought people were joking about this, but then I photographed him last week. Vance 100 percent does wear eyeliner,” Roberts captioned the post.
Over on TikTok, one woman even claimed she found Vance’s exact shade of eyeliner. “This is unserious political commentary but I can’t stop thinking about it,” said user Casey (@mamasissiesays) in a recent video with more than 300,000 views. “Is JD Vance wearing eyeliner?”
As she compared side-by-side images of Vance’s public appearances alongside his official Senate portrait, Casey was admittedly conflicted. “No eyeliner to see here. That is very much a man not wearing eyeliner,” she said about his Senate portrait. However, sharing a photo of Vance’s TV interview, Casey said: “Obviously something’s going on here… along with some contour. I’d love to know his shade.”
She then jokingly claimed to have found Vance’s eyeliner pencil of choice from the brand Urban Decay, in the shade “desperation”.
The speculation grew so much that it also prompted comedian Jimmy Fallon to poke fun at Vance’s rumored affinity for eyeliner in an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. During the July 22 broadcast, Fallon showed an image of a graph increasing along its x-axis, along with the mocking tagline: “Google searches for, ‘Does JD Vance wear eyeliner?’”
The late-night talk show host then cut to a photo of Vance, once again showing a distinct black line under his eyes.
It may be possible that Vance uses eyeliner for live events and TV spots, just like many public figures wear makeup to enhance their appearance on camera. However, the reason why so many people online can’t stop talking about Vance’s rumored makeup is because it’s “hypocritical” due to the Republican’s staunch anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs.
“We’re fine with men who wear makeup. What we’re not fine with is hypocrites who make policies, harmful policies, against men who wear makeup,” Casey noted in her viral TikTok video.
The Ohio senator has introduced bills proposing to limit access to transgender healthcare, and limit the ability to mark additional gender identities on US passports. Vance also grilled several State Department nominees with a questionnaire about LGBTQ+ rights, Pride flags, diversity and inclusion, and other so-called “woke” issues,” which ultimately delayed the confirmation of more than 30 diplomats to senior positions until last April.
For someone who may very well be wearing eyeliner, Vance has been known to espouse traditional views on gender too. His pro-natalist stance has seen him describe declining birth rates as a “civilizational crisis” driven by a “childless left.” Vance has also argued that people with children should have “more power” at the voting booth, and claimed that Kamala Harris “doesn’t really have a direct stake” in the future of the country because she did not give birth to her two step-children.
While there’s nothing wrong with men wearing makeup, perhaps the internet is so obsessed with Vance’s supposed eyeliner because it goes against the views he has professed throughout his political career. Though, it’s unclear exactly how long his position as Trump’s running mate will last, since Republicans themselves are now undecided on their support for Vance.
The Independent has contacted representatives for Vance for comment.
