A firestorm erupted across cable news and social media after MSNBC host Jen Psaki made controversial remarks about Vice President JD Vance and his wife during a podcast appearance, sparking accusations of slander and demands for an apology from conservative commentators and the White House.
The controversy began around Wednesday, October 22, 2025, when Psaki appeared on the liberal podcast “I’ve Had It” and shared her concerns about the 41-year-old vice president. During the conversation with hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan, Psaki suggested that Vance posed a greater threat than President Donald Trump due to his youth and political ambition.
Psaki characterized Vance as a political chameleon willing to do anything to achieve his presidential aspirations. She labeled him a “little Manchurian candidate,” referencing the 2004 film about a vice presidential candidate controlled by enemy powers. The former Biden administration press secretary indicated that Vance’s willingness to adapt his persona to different audiences made him particularly dangerous in the political landscape.
The remarks that drew the most intense backlash involved Second Lady Usha Vance. “I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife,” Psaki stated. “Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. We’ll come over here. We’ll save you.”
The podcast episode’s description reinforced the joke, stating that Usha Vance should blink twice if she needed help. The comments quickly went viral across conservative social media platforms, with prominent MAGA influencers expressing outrage over what they characterized as an attack on the Vance marriage.
Fox News devoted extensive coverage to the controversy on Wednesday morning, October 23, 2025. During the Fox & Friends broadcast, the hosts described Psaki’s comments as disturbing and nasty. Co-host Lawrence Jones demanded an apology from the rival cable news host, though Brian Kilmeade suggested viewers should not hold their breath waiting for one.
Fox News contributor Joe Concha appeared on Fox & Friends First and escalated his criticism, calling Psaki “Peppermint Patty” while accusing her of engaging in outright slander. He claimed the MSNBC host could not argue about policy and was resorting to fabricated personal attacks. Moments after using the derisive cartoon character comparison, Concha lamented that politics had become too toxic and based on personal attacks.
White House communications director Steven Cheung joined the criticism, branding Psaki with his own nickname and suggesting she was transferring her personal issues onto others. He wrote on social media that she lacked comprehension of the truth and had to overcompensate for her lack of talent by saying untrue things.
Vice President Vance addressed the controversy on Thursday, October 23, 2025, while on a tarmac returning to the United States after a two-day trip to Israel with his wife. When reporters asked for his response, Vance called Psaki’s comments disgraceful but noted that the second lady could speak for herself. He expressed gratitude for having a wonderful wife and stated he was honored to have Usha by his side on the trip and always.
Conservative social media accounts amplified the outrage, with Libs of TikTok posting that MSNBC should be ashamed to pay Psaki’s salary. Other critics described the remarks as an insult to women in actual bad marriages and accused Psaki of abandoning feminist principles when a woman did not vote the correct way.
Right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt, appearing on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom on Tuesday, suggested Psaki felt comfortable making such comments because she was in a safe space on a podcast appealing to the far-left edge of the Democratic Party. He claimed the left had run out of ideas and could only resort to insults without substance.
The incident represents the latest clash between Psaki and Vance. In August 2025, the two engaged in a public exchange over the role of prayer following a shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. Psaki had questioned whether prayer was appropriate after such tragedies, prompting Vance to criticize her comments as the most bizarre of all the weird left-wing culture wars.
President Trump has hinted that Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be the Republican ticket for 2028, making the vice president’s political future a subject of intense speculation and scrutiny from political commentators across the spectrum.
