Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) said he “felt terrible” for the woman involved in a viral clip showing an awkward interaction when he visited a doughnut shop.
“I just felt terrible for that woman,” Vance said Tuesday on his plane, NBC News reported. “We walked in, and there’s 20 Secret Service agents, and there’s 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her.”
Vance, who was chosen as former President Trump’s running mate last month, was referring to an instance last week when he walked into a doughnut shop in Georgia while on the campaign trail for a meet-and-greet. Video footage of his interaction with shop workers as he ordered food quickly became an internet meme.
“I’m JD Vance, and I’m running for vice president,” he told the woman behind the counter.
“OK,” she responded.
Vance then ordered “a lot” of glazed doughnuts, “some sprinkle stuff,” cinnamon rolls and “whatever makes sense.”
The employee told Vance she didn’t want to be filmed, and he turned to the camera crews to tell them to cut her out of any clips.
The Harris-Walz campaign and users online had a field day with the clip, fueling their past messaging of calling Vance “weird.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) was the one who branded Vance, Trump and other Republicans as weird. His political star rose rapidly, and Democrats have sought to use the label as a new way of describing their competition.
Vance said he enjoys talking to people and the campaign wants to make sure it is doing it across the country.
“I like to get out there and talk to people, and we want to make sure we’re doing it, but definitely make sure that people are at least OK with being on camera, or we’re going to walk in and you’re going to have a person who has, practically, a panic attack because she’s got 15 cameras in her face,” Vance said.