Vice President JD Vance had a rough time in front of a friendly live crowd. 

Under pressure not to slip the way President Donald Trump often does, Vance tries to hold it together—but the moment turns on him.

His confidence fades, his rhythm breaks, and whatever charisma he leans on doesn’t quite land. He reaches for the kind of reaction he thinks comes easy to Donald Trump, forcing moments and tossing out jokes that fall flat.

VP JD Vance completely fumbled his speech during a rally in Iowa as he struggled to read, then asked for help. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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On May 5, Vance traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, to attend an event hosted by Republican Congressman Zach Nunn. The two politicians came together to rally the local GOP base ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November.

Around 40 minutes into the livestreamed rally, Vance suffered an embarrassing moment during his scripted speech. He stumbled over his words, causing a noticeable awkward silence that left viewers shaking their heads.

“We’re working with the congressman, and we’re finding ways every single day to make sure that you guys and the farmers of this great state get access to the products that they need,” Vance told the attendees.

However, the vice president fumbled his messaging with the follow-up meant to reassure Iowa voters that the Trump administration plans to address the nationwide affordability issue.

“We’re working on it every single day,” he said. “Now, when I see Iowa farmers who need to get that E15 [15% ethanol fuel] to market.”

Vance became flustered working through prepared notes and gasped for air as the moment slipped.

“What is, uh, this, what is, uh…,” he said before begging for help. “Zach, you’re going to have to help me out with her name here. I lost my page here.”

The Yale Law School graduate frantically flipped through the papers on the podium in front of him. The crowd behind him on stage stood in awkward silence before he eventually admitted, “I’m on the wrong page here.” 

A clip of Vance’s televised blunder quickly spread across the internet. People on social media clowned his clumsy presentation in the Hawkeye State.

“Oh, the irony. Being on the wrong page is literally the MAGA brand,” read one joke on Threads.

A second poster sarcastically wrote, “He lost more than his place. He’s such a dynamic speaker! It’s no wonder so many go out of their way to listen to him. Trump falls asleep, Vance makes his audience fall asleep.”

Two other posts read, “Ooofff – look at the crowd” and “My god, he is a natural.”

Between the crowd reaction followed by the awkward silence, one pointed out, “He gets booed while being on the wrong page, while Jabba the Trump could have stood there slobbering.”

“Zach told him there would be 10 pages, he didn’t say in which order,” joked one person about Vance’s prep. Another said listening to him read, “sounds like a third grader giving a book report on a book he’s never seen.”

Vance was also specifically called out for struggling to amass a true following when one commenter expressed, “He’s a terrible politician. His political career is dead after this administration.” 

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“How in the hell did he make it through an Ivy League education?! He is an absolute moron!!” one person on X asked.

Vance’s literacy skills quickly drew comparisons to Donald Trump, who has faced similar criticism over his struggles with reading prepared remarks. A n X user jokingly posted, “Imitating his boss?”

Trump has repeatedly stumbled through prewritten lines during speeches. He stutters, mumbles, and drifts off script, often blaming the teleprompter for the choppy delivery.

Yet, Trump still manages to maintain a level of charm and magnetism that masks his public speaking faults in the eyes of his most hardened MAGA followers, an appeal that does not seem to rub off on Vance.

The vice president has not only faced difficulty charming Americans. He was met with an icy reaction during his trip to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

Vance attended the multi-sport event in February with his wife, second lady Usha Vance, for the game’s Opening Ceremony.

The couple received loud boos when their faces appeared on a giant screen inside San Siro Stadium. It was at that moment that the public began questioning if he had what it takes to truly step into the spotlight after Trump.

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