Vice President JD Vance on Friday referred to U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California as “Jose” while speaking to reporters.

Asked about the comment, a spokesperson for Vance told Newsweek in a statement: “He must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.”

The Context

Padilla made headlines earlier this month when he was forcibly removed from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s news conference about the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting areas with high immigrant populations and labor-intensive industries.

Video footage of the incident shows Padilla repeatedly identifying himself as a U.S. senator while being led away by federal agents. He was then pushed to the ground and handcuffed, even though he was cleared by the FBI and the DHS to be at the news conference. The California Democrat was let go shortly after.

What To Know

Vance referred to Padilla, who is of Hispanic descent, as “Jose” while visiting Los Angeles amid the Trump administration’s ICE crackdown.

While Vance was taking questions, a reporter referenced Padilla’s removal from Noem’s news conference.

“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.”

A spokesperson for Padilla sharply criticized Vance—a former Ohio senator—over his comments on Friday, telling Newsweek in a statement: “As a former colleague of Senator Padilla, the Vice President knows better.”

“He should be more focused on demilitarizing our city than taking cheap shots. Another unserious comment from an unserious administration,” Padilla’s spokesperson added.

‘Racist Trash’

Vance’s comments sparked immediate reactions from both sides of the aisle.

Padilla’s fellow California senator, Adam Schiff, wrote on X: “JD Vance served alongside Alex Padilla, and knows better. He’s taking this cheap shot to distract from the real fear and havoc this Administration is creating. It’s pathetic.”

Democratic Representative Jimmy Gomez of California wrote: “Racist is as Racist does.”

Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, torched Vance, saying in a news conference: “How dare you disrespect our senator? You don’t know his name, but yet you served with him before you were vice president and you continue to serve with him today because the last time I checked, the vice president of the United States is the president of the U.S. Senate.”

She added: You serve with him today and how dare you disrespect him and call him Jose? But I guess he just looked like anybody to you. Well he’s not just anybody to us. He is our senator.”

“Racist trash,” the X account for Democrats on the House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee said in a social media post. “Our Vice President is not as adorable as he thinks he is.”

Former Republican Representative Joe Walsh, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, wrote on X: “What a jerk.”

Katie Porter, former Democratic congresswoman from Padilla’s home state of California, wrote on X: “Despicable—something you’d expect from an internet troll. If I heard my kids make a crack like this they would be grounded for the rest of their lives.”

She added: “JD Vance should honestly and sincerely apologize. But we all know he won’t. He’s a coward.”

Some conservatives, meanwhile, celebrated Vance’s comments and mocked Democrats who criticized the vice president.

Right-wing commentator Eric Daugherty posted a clip of Vance’s comments and wrote, “OMG,” along with two laughing emojis. “The left is LOSING it over this right now.”

Update 6/20/25, 9:26 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.