Watch JD Vance Call Senator Alex Padilla 'Jose'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Vice President JD Vance on Friday referred to Senator Alex Padilla of California as "Jose" while speaking to reporters.
Vance made his remark while visiting Los Angeles amid the Trump administration's efforts to quell demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting areas with high immigrant populations and labor-intensive industries in the area.
While Vance was taking questions on Friday, a reporter referenced when Padilla was recently forcibly removed from a news conference that Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, held earlier this month.
"The New York Times just did a story" about lawmakers who "keep getting handcuffed, suggesting that ... the Trump administration is cracking down on Democrats," the reporter said. "Can you comment on that?"
"Well, I was hoping Jose 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. "And that's all it is. I think everybody realizes that's what this is."
JD Vance refers to Senator Alex Padilla as 'Jose Padilla' pic.twitter.com/zOpYVeNAxN — Acyn (@Acyn) June 20, 2025
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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