Late-Night Hosts Mock JD Vance's 'Rough Week' Defending Trump

Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert criticize Vance's attempts to support the former president's controversial statements and actions.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:58am

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An extreme close-up of a shattered glass surface reflecting harsh studio lighting, conceptually representing the fractured political dynamics surrounding Vice President Vance's defense of former President Trump.The shattered political landscape as Vice President Vance struggles to defend his former boss's controversial statements.Athens Today

Late-night talk show hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert mocked JD Vance, the current Vice President of the United States, for his struggles in defending former President Donald Trump's recent controversial statements and actions. Vance was forced to address Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV and his friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein at a Turning Point USA conference, which the hosts ridiculed as being sparsely attended.

Why it matters

Vance's public defense of Trump's behavior has become a liability, as the Vice President is seen as deeply unpopular and struggling to gain traction with voters. The late-night hosts' mockery highlights the political challenges Vance faces in aligning himself with the former president's more extreme statements and associations.

The details

During his appearance at the Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, Vance attempted to defend Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV and dismiss the former president's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Kimmel and Colbert played clips of Vance's remarks and criticized his efforts, with Kimmel joking that Vance was "pulling every bit of this out of his ass" and Colbert suggesting Vance was "out over [his] Catholic skies" in his defense of the pope.

  • On April 15, 2026, Vance spoke at a Turning Point USA conference in Athens, Georgia.
  • The late-night monologues mocking Vance's defense of Trump aired on April 16, 2026.

The players

JD Vance

The current Vice President of the United States, who has faced criticism for his efforts to defend former President Donald Trump's controversial statements and actions.

Jimmy Kimmel

The host of the late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" who mocked Vance's defense of Trump.

Stephen Colbert

The host of the late-night talk show "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" who also criticized Vance's defense of Trump.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, whose controversial statements and actions Vance has been tasked with defending.

Jeffrey Epstein

The late convicted sex offender who was associated with Donald Trump, a connection that Vance attempted to downplay.

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What they’re saying

“JD Vance may be deeply unpopular, but you wouldn't know it from the sitting room-only crowd in Athens, Georgia yesterday. There were more people in the theater to see the Melania documentary than JD Vance.”

— Jimmy Kimmel, Late-Night Talk Show Host

“Hey, hey, JD. I know you're Catholic. But you joined in 2019. I've been genuflecting since the mid-1960s and let me tell you brother, I think you're out over your Catholic skies here.”

— Stephen Colbert, Late-Night Talk Show Host

What’s next

Vance's performance at the Turning Point USA event and the subsequent late-night mockery could further damage his already low approval ratings, potentially complicating his political future. It remains to be seen how he will continue to navigate his role as Vice President and his relationship with the former president.

The takeaway

The late-night hosts' scathing criticism of Vance's defense of Trump's controversial statements and actions highlights the growing political challenges facing the Vice President. Vance's struggles to gain traction with voters and his alignment with the former president's more extreme positions have become a liability, raising questions about his long-term political viability.