JD Vance Gave A Speech To Almost No One, And The Photos Are Wild

    Awkwaaaard.

    Matt Stopera
    by Matt StoperaBuzzFeedBuzzFeed Staff

    I’ve been working here since George W.

    It looks like the "JD Vance curse" struck again.

    A person in a suit gestures passionately while speaking at an event
    Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

    This time, it was at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia.

    Two men sit on stage at a Turning Point USA event discussing. One wears a dark suit, the other a dark suit with a red tie
    Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

    Unfortunately, Erika Kirk couldn't make it because of "some very serious threats."

    Erika Kirk tweets appreciation to Georgia chapter, citing security concerns for skipping event with Vice President JD Vance per her security team's advice
    MrsErikaKirk/x.com

    That means it was just this guy...

    A man in a suit stands on stage with bright lights behind him, gesturing with open arms. A sign reads "This Is the Turning Point."
    Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

    And it looks like no one showed up:

    Spacious arena with sparse audience, view from high up. Event in progress with stage lights and screen visible. Tweet mentions a smaller turnout
    Fletcher Page/ bluestein/x.com

    MS NOW reporter, Jake Traylor, posted this video showing tons of empty seats. According to him, it was only 25% full:

    Turning Point USA seems to have misestimated crowd size for Vance. Akins Ford Arena less than 25% filled for the vice president. pic.twitter.com/K2SnkmuATh

    — Jake Traylor (@jake__traylor) April 14, 2026
    jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    *Crickets*

    Indoor arena with partially filled seats, lit stage, and a camera setup capturing an event, hinting at a live broadcast or performance
    jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    *Tumbleweeds*

    Empty arena seats under dim lighting, with a camera set up in the foreground
    jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    *Radio silence*

    A crowded arena with a large stage and bright lights. Audience members are gathered, possibly at a concert or event
    jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    Other angles show more of the same thing:

    Sparse audience at an indoor event venue, with stage set up for Turning Point event. Tweet notes doors closed early but event starts later
    MatthewBoedy/x.com

    Naturally, there are some very, very funny posts about this, and here are the 10 funniest ones:

    10. "The JD Vance humiliation tour continues."

    Twitter post by Molly Jong-Fast mentions low turnout at a JD Vance event. Image shows sparsely filled Akins Ford Arena with bright stage lights
    MollyJongFast/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    9. "Hahahahhahahahhahahahhahahahahjahahahahhahahahahah times infinity."

    Tweet with video shows sparse crowd at an event in Akins Ford Arena, highlighting low attendance
    AdamKinzinger/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    8. "Sad."

    A nearly empty arena with a small crowd gathered in the center, indicating sparse turnout at an event
    Fletcher Page/ SykesCharlie/x.com / Via bluestein/x.com

    7. "Take a good look because this is what’s coming at midterms."

    Tweet showing a nearly empty arena, discussing low attendance at a political event
    ItsJuliansRum/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    6. "Seems that young men, TPUSA's key demographic, aren't excited about getting drafted and dying in the sand 6,000 miles away. Darn panickans!"

    Tweet showing an arena with sparse attendance for a Turning Point USA event, commentary on low enthusiasm among the youth demographic
    GPrime85/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    5. "Funny how JD Vance had a bigger crowd in Budapest than in his own country..."

    Tweet comparing crowd sizes at JD Vance's events in Budapest and his own country, with an image showing a sparsely populated arena
    PhilWMagness/x.com / Via bluestein/x.com

    4. "JD Vance continues to flop. He’s not real. He’s a construct. And he’s tied to a sinking Titanic…"

    A tweet criticizing JD Vance's event attendance with a photo showing a sparsely filled arena
    21WIRE/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    3. "He killed the pope, he killed Orban’s career, he killed the peace deal and now he has killer TPUSA."

    A screenshot of a tweet with a video of a sparsely filled arena for a Turning Point USA event, suggesting low attendance
    hayasaka_aryan/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    2. "Good thing there's a couch backstage."

    Tweet about a sparsely filled arena for a Turning Point USA event, mentioning misestimated crowd size
    Mayoisspicyy/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    1. And lastly, "yeah JD’s never getting elected president."

    Screenshot of tweets discussing misestimated crowd size at a Turning Point USA event in Akins Ford Arena
    _sn_n/x.com / Via jake__traylor/Twitter: @jake__traylor

    Thoughts???

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