Vice President JD Vance leaned into an internet joke at his own expense this Halloween, posting a short video of himself wearing a curly brown wig to mimic a meme that followed him for months. The 41-year-old vice president filmed the clip at the Naval Observatory residence, where he opens the door in a dark suit and red tie, smiling as he tells trick-or-treaters, “Happy Halloween, kids… remember, say thank you!” The line references the “you didn’t say thank you” meme before he spins under purple lights to the eerie “Twilight Zone” theme.
The video racked up more than 250,000 likes and 14 million views within hours across Instagram, X, and Facebook. The extraordinary numbers for a political post drew thousands of comments, with users quickly remixing the Halloween look with the original meme, adding jump cuts and effects as it spread across multiple social media platforms.
When Memes Meet Politics: VP’s Halloween Win
How JD Vance transformed internet mockery into a viral sensation with 14 million views
Vice President JD Vance dressed as the viral “fat JD” meme for Halloween, complete with curly brown wig
Vance first became the subject of the “fat JD with curly hair” meme after a tense White House exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February 2025. During the contentious Oval Office meeting, Vance questioned Zelenskyy about expressing gratitude for U.S. support, asking “Have you said thank you once?” Critics quickly edited photos of Vance with exaggerated features and wild hair, pairing them with captions like “you didn’t say please” or “you didn’t say thank you.”
Rather than ignore the ridicule, Vance embraced it. Earlier in the week, the White House X account joined the online fun, posting mock “costume package” images of political figures. The “JD Vance Costume” package jokingly noted it “does not include the fat JD curly hair.” Vance’s Halloween post completed the gag by adding that missing piece himself, turning the joke into a personal victory.
The Numbers Behind the Viral Moment
Breaking down the social media explosion that followed Vance’s costume reveal
The viral meme transformation: from criticism to Halloween costume
From Oval Office Tension to Halloween Sensation
How a contentious diplomatic moment evolved into viral gold
The Six-Phase Transformation
How Vance turned political liability into viral victory
Social media reactions poured in across platforms, with millions engaging with the post
What the Internet Said
Reactions from across the political spectrum
The Halloween post was still climbing past 14 million views by Friday night, with screenshots flooding social media and users quickly remixing the Halloween look with the original meme, adding jump cuts and effects as it spread across platforms. The office of Vice President JD Vance did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the viral post.
The moment fits into the Trump administration’s digital playbook, where the communications team has long embraced meme culture and rapid-fire online humor. For a White House that thrives on viral content, Vance’s light-hearted approach to self-parody aligns with broader government social media strategies, though it raises questions about the intersection of political communication and internet culture.
The Halloween costume post was discussed in the context of how politicians engage with online criticism and meme culture. Few politicians manage to turn a meme aimed at mocking them into what appeared to be a personal win, with the vice president proving that, at least on Halloween 2025, even high-ranking officials can participate in internet humor while wearing a wig.
The Evolution of Political Communication
Vance’s Halloween moment was discussed as part of the Trump administration’s broader embrace of viral digital content and meme-driven communication strategies in political messaging.
