After Marc Thiessen, the former director of speechwriting at the White House, posted on X about college students complaining about the high cost of food and living, JD Vance retweeted him and provided his own commentary on Thiessen. It was an unexpected remark from the vice president, especially because it was unprompted and made little sense, since Thiessen is still considered a conservative and MAGA supporter.
Thiessen’s original X post was in response to Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet posting about a college student who is also part of TPUSA and sharing that he believes the cost of food is a direct result of the “hangover from Covid and Biden-era inflation.” But then, Thiessen chimed in and so did Vance, and it’s a long string of right-wing Donald Trump supporters campaigning for who can be the most controversial and get the most attention on social media. Well, maybe not exactly that.
It all started by poking fun at a college student who is part of Turning Point USA.
One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability:
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) August 4, 2026
“A burrito shouldn’t cost $20.”
Yeah, a lot of this is a hangover from Covid and Biden-era inflation, but the lived experience is the same: It just feels like basic things cost too much. https://t.co/GEvmbea57o
Right-wing political commentator Matt Walsh posted on X about the cost of groceries and how elected officials should be focused on things like that instead of starting or involving the United States in wars. In response to that, Kolvet made his X post to share his reasoning behind the high cost of food, particularly for a TPUSA college student.
“One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability,” he wrote. “aA burrito shouldn’t cost $20.’ Yeah, a lot of this is a hangover from Covid and Biden-era inflation, but the lived experience is the same: It just feels like basic things cost too much.”
Then came Thiessen’s response: “Cry me a river. The burritos in the college cafeteria are included in your meal plan.”
At this point, Vance made the decision to chime in himself. Not to defend the nationwide affordability crisis about food and the cost of living, paying rent or mortgage, and buying the bare necessities. But to target Thiessen himself in what can only be described as a low blow. Mind you, Vance chimed in on a thread of X posts that were made by individuals outside of Trump’s main inner circle.
JD Vance quickly made a joke at Marc Thiessen’s expense.
I'm surprised to hear Mark say this. If you've ever met him in person, it's quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito. https://t.co/z4DjKLVZVs
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 5, 2026
After Thiessen posted his response to the TPUSA college student’s plight regarding how expensive cafeteria food is on-campus, Vance reposted Thiessen’s X post and added his own commentary. And it was all targeted at Thiessen’s, whose name is misspelled in his X post. Whether or not that was intentional remains to be seen.
“I’m surprised to hear Mark say this,” Vance wrote. “If you’ve ever met him in person, it’s quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito.”
Immediately following that post, users who already weren’t wild about the VP commented to share old photos of Vance, in which his face appears fuller and clean shaven. This, according to some, was to remind Vance of his own weight. Fighting fire with fire may not be the best, or most ethical, course of action in this case. But those against MAGA sometimes have to go as low as MAGA to get their point across, and the responses to Vance’s X post reflect that.
Critics called JD Vance an “embarrassment.”
Other users who commented on Vance’s reply and X post wrote that they are ashamed of him as the vice president. Someone else called Vance “pathetic” for his post and for his commentary on Thiessen.
“Meet VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” another person commented. “Entirely unbecoming. You, JD, have not earned to behave so. What an embarrassment to the White House. Too bad you can’t be fired. Too bad.”
Someone else wrote, “The Vice President is making fat jokes. That’s how far America has fallen.”
That seems to be the general response after Vance’s tweet.
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