Vice President JD Vance’s office is doubling down on his comment referring to a Democratic senator as a terrorist during his visit to Los Angeles on Friday after anti-ICE protests.
During a press conference Vance referred to Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat, as “José Padilla.”
“I was hoping José Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately, I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn’t the theater,” Vance said.
The California lawmaker made news last week after he was forcibly removed from a press conference hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after trying to ask her a question.
In 2007, former Chicago gang member Jose Padilla was found guilty of supporting Islamic terrorism overseas.
In a statement, Vance’s press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk dismissed the Vice President referring to the Democrat as a terrorist.
“He must have mixed up two people who have broken the law,” Van Kirk said.
Democrats condemned Vance for the mixup, saying it was not accidental.
“As a former colleague of Senator Padilla, the Vice President knows better. He should be more focused on demilitarizing our city than taking cheap shots. Another unserious comment from an unserious administration,” Padilla spokesperson Tess Oswald said in a statement.
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X, “JD Vance served with Alex Padilla in the United States Senate. Calling him ‘Jose Padilla’ is not an accident.”
Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass responded to Vance at a press conference later Friday.
“Mr. Vice President, how dare you disrespect our Senator,” Bass said, adding, “I guess he just looked like anybody to you. Well, he’s not just anybody to us.”
