Usually, it’s JD Vance who gets the short end of the stick when he is caught doing or saying something unsavory on-camera. But when a clip of the second family exiting Marine One was posted on TikTok, it was his son, 6-year-old Vivek Vance, who was called out for his behavior in the video. Don’t worry, though, because Vance was also criticized for his actions in the short TikTok.
In the video, Vance, Usha Vance, and their kids, including Vivek of course, disembark Marine One, along with the family dog, Atlas. Why the dog also had to travel with the family to a campaign trip to Ohio is unclear, but apparently, that’s where we’re at right now. And as Vivek leaves the chopper in the video, he appears to lay down the law with Atlas in a way that some believe is learned behavior.
JD Vance’s son hit their family dog in a now viral video.
In the TikTok, as Vivek starts to walk down the few steps to leave Marine One as the first member of the Vance family to do so, he turns back to Atlas and slaps him on the nose. The dog, at this point, appears to be standing motionless, on a leash held by Usha, and he isn’t in Vivek’s way by any means. And even if he was, no one is here for mistreatment of animals.
One TikTok user commented on the video, “I don’t like that kid…why’d he hit the dog?”
To that, an apparent Vance apologist replied, “That dog is a family dog he sees those kids as his siblings. He isn’t bothered by the kid but he would be bothered by someone speaking down on his brother.” And to that we say, huh?
“They need to teach the kids better because the dog does not deserve to get slapped,” someone else wrote under the video.
Others asked “what’s up” with Vivek’s mistreatment of the dog. And, another person added, “like father like son,” in an apparent comparison between Vance and Vivek. Though it’s unclear what, if any, instance the user was referring to in reference to Vance specifically and dogs.
And then, someone questioned, of 6-year-old Vivek, “He literally hit that dog?”
JD Vance was criticized for how he takes care of his infant in the same video.
In the same video, after two of Vance’s kids get off Marine One and Usha does the same with Atlas, Vance himself gets off the chopper with his infant son, Alec Vance. Vance holds the infant, who is notably wearing no hat or foot coverings despite some potentially chilly weather during the October 2026 visit to Ohio. And in the comments, critics made sure to point that out.
They also pointed out the way Vance carries his infant and then hands him off to Usha.
“It looks like she takes care of everything,” a user commented.
Another person joked that when Vance hands off the infant, Usha looks more than ready to receive the baby and continue carrying and taking care of him herself.
And, someone added, “What he lacks in popularity he makes up for with living props.”
People have called out JD Vance for using Marine One for his family.
Wife of US Vice President JD Vance almost fell with her baby while coming down from Marine One in the WhiteHouse Lawn….. https://t.co/dVcENSzg6A
— Senior Pst Okezie James Atañi. (@Onsogbu) October 7, 2026
Other users under the same TikTok video questioned Vance using Marine One as “personal transportation.” While a visit to Ohio to show support for a Republican candidate might be fine for use of the government-sanctioned aircraft, the aspect of the trip that many struggle to support is Vance bringing along his family.
In July 2026, MS NOW reported that Secret Service agents are allegedly tired of last-minute trips planned by Vance that include his family members and, by extension, the need for more staff members on hand for the trips. But for now, without anyone to really answer to, there’s not much stopping Vance from continuing to use Marine One with his family in tow.
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