Vice President Vance is facing intense criticism after sharing photos of himself participating in a rigorous beach workout with Navy SEALs, as reported by The Hill. The vice president posted about the grueling session, which he admitted left him feeling completely demolished, but critics quickly took to social media to call the event a massive waste of taxpayer money.
Vance, who is a former Marine and served as a military journalist while in Iraq, joined the SEALs at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California for a 90-minute physical training session. The exercises involved a full slate of intense activities like running beside the ocean while carrying a massive log, climbing a cargo net, and riding in a boat. Vance shared images of the event, which showed him running with service members whose faces were obscured for security.
He detailed his experience afterward. “Just finished PT with the Navy SEALs for 90 minutes,” Vance wrote. “They took it easy on me and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train. So grateful to all of our warriors who keep us safe and keep the highest standards anywhere in the world!”
Everyone can see through Vance’s SEAL cosplay
While he certainly sounded grateful, the public reaction was almost immediately negative. Critics accused him of staging the entire event for political optics, suggesting he was trying to look like something he isn’t. This is a massive PR stumble for the vice president, who should probably stick to policy announcements instead of photo ops that look like an action movie trailer.
People online didn’t hold back. One user sharply reacted to the post, writing, “Nice cosplay as a Navy SEAL.” That user argued that true leadership requires fixing issues at home, not staging flashy displays. Meanwhile, Democratic strategist Christopher Hale piled on, flatly accusing the vice president of “burning taxpayer dollars pretending to be a Navy SEAL.”
This appearance by Vance, who recently received an endorsement from Erika Kirk for the 2028 presidential run, follows a clear trend set by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has been quite open about his focus on military fitness, frequently posting footage of himself working out alongside service members on social media. It seems like, after the controversial Defense of War rebrand, the administration is keen on projecting an image of peak physical readiness, and Vance’s beach run fits right into that narrative.
While the administration is clearly pushing a message of physical rigor and high standards, critics believe Vance’s participation in the SEAL workout was nothing more than a shallow attempt to associate himself with that elite image. You can’t deny that the logistics of organizing an event like that require significant resources, which is why the “burning taxpayer dollars” comment is hitting so hard.
It looks like Vance’s attempt to show gratitude and toughness backfired spectacularly, turning into a discussion about whether high-ranking officials should be prioritizing PR over policy.
Published: Dec 24, 2025 03:30 pm