JD Vance defends 'childless cat ladies' remark amid row, calls it 'sarcastic'

Amid a huge backlash over his old 'childless cat ladies' remark against Democratic politicians, including Kamala Harris, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said it was a sarcastic comment. In an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show, Vance defended his remark and reaffirmed his belief that having children provides a different perspective on societal issues.

"Obviously, it was a sarcastic comment. I have got nothing against cats, I have got nothing against dogs. I have got one dog at home and I love him," Vance, who was recently announced as Donald Trump's running mate, said.

"People are focusing so much on the sarcasm and not on the substance of what I actually said," he further said.

In 2021, when he was running for the Senate, Vance questioned why some leading politicians did not have children and singled out Vice President Kamala Harris. In an interview with Fox News, Vance said those without offspring, especially "childless cat ladies", had no "direct stake" in the country.

A clip of his interview started circulating again, prompting backlash and sexism charges. Kamala Harris has two stepchildren with her husband, Doug Emhoff.

'REMARKS AGAINST DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR BECOMING ANTI-FAMILY'

In 'The Megan Kelly Show', Vance, who has three children, said he was not criticising people who do not have children. "This is about criticising the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-children," he said.

The Ohio Senator clarified his comments were aimed at the Democratic Party's alleged shift away from family-oriented values.

"What I was basically saying is that we were effectively run in this country - via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs - by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives," Vance asserted.

Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston, who has come out about her fertility struggles, was among those who criticised Vance over his comments.

"I truly can’t believe that this is coming from a potential VP of the United States," she said earlier this week.

"Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day. I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too," Aniston wrote on social media.