JD Vance Called Out After Comparing Kamala Harris to Miss Teen Contestant

Ohio Sen. JD Vance has come under fire after suggesting Kamala Harris’ performance in Thursday’s CNN interview would be similar to that of former Miss Teen USA contestant Caitlin Upton, who went viral in 2007 after giving an incoherent answer when asked why some Americans couldn’t locate their country on a map.
The South Carolina Miss Teen USA 2007 contestant, who reportedly went on to sign for Donald Trump’s modeling agency, had previously said she was overwhelmed during the incident and that the response to it left her feeling suicidal.
On Thursday evening CNN broadcast an interview with Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her 2024 running mate, which was conducted by anchor Dana Bash. It followed repeated criticism of Harris from prominent Republicans after she went several weeks without conducting an unscripted interview.
Before the interview was broadcast Vance shared a 49-second clip of Upton struggling to answer a question during the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant, which took place in August of that year. Vance joked: “BREAKING: I have gotten ahold of the full Kamala Harris CNN interview.”
In the clip Upton was asked why according to recent polls “a fifth of Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a world map.”
She replied: “I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don’t have maps and I believe that our education such as in South Africa and the Iraq, everywhere such as, I believe that our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future.”
The incoherent answer sparked widespread mockery and was widely covered by media organizations. Upton later told New York Magazine that in response: “I had some very dark moments where I thought about committing suicide.”
A spokesperson for Upton provided Newsweek with a statement in response to Vance’s comments.
They said: “It’s a shame that 17 years later this is still being brought up. There’s not too much else to say about it at this point. Regardless of political beliefs, one thing I do know is that social media and online bullying needs to stop. For anyone else going through something similar, please visit https://endcyberbullying.org/ and WhiteFlag (https://www.whiteflagapp.com/) as resources.”
Trump’s team told Newsweek: “Sen. Vance said, in an interview with CNN: ‘[I was not aware that clip made Caitlin consider suicide], my heart goes out to her, and I hope that she’s doing well… sometimes when you’re in the public eye, you make mistakes, I think the best way to deal with it is to laugh at ourselves.’
‘I wish the best for Caitlin, I hope she’s doing well. One bad moment shouldn’t define anybody, and the best way to deal with this stuff is to laugh at ourselves.'”
Newsweek contacted Sen. JD Vance’s congressional office for comment by email on Friday outside of regular business hours.
According to South Carolina network WIS-TV, after the clip went viral in 2007 Upton signed for a modeling agency owned by Trump, and went to live in apartments he owned in New York. Newsweek contacted the Trump Organization for comment via email.
Trump founded modeling company T Models, which later changed its name to Trump Model Management, in 1999. It closed shortly after he became president in April 2017.

Vance’s decision to repost the Upton clip, and speculate Harris’ interview performance would match it, sparked controversy on social media.
On X Sam Clench, who is based in London and works for an Australian news website, said: “The woman here, Caite Upton, said she contemplated suicide after this clip went around the world. Vance hardly the first person to use it like this. But still. Let’s be a little classier, maybe.”
Self-styled “independent political commentator” Brian Normoyle added: “Caite Upton once said she contemplated suicide over the unending harassment she and her family received from this viral video 17 years ago when she was a teenager. Vance resurfaced and repurposed it to attack Harris. On-brand misogyny for Team Trump but loathsome even still.”
Other commentators pointed out that in 2020 Upton shared a graphic on X, then Twitter, from Students for Trump attacking Joe Biden’s economic policies and has more recently shared content critical of the coronavirus vaccine.
University of Alabama based academic A.J. Bauer wrote: “Fun fact! Caite Upton supported Trump in 2020 and her retweets suggest she’s anti-vax. Vance is dunking on his own constituency here.”
After being selected as Trump’s running mate Vance came under fire for comments he made to Fox News in 2021 when he suggested America was being run by “childless cat ladies.”

In a recent NBC News interview Vance said it was a “sarcastic comment” that Democrats had “wilfully misinterpreted.”
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or be in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.