J.D. Vance Under Fire as Past Criticism of Gold Medalist Simone Biles Resurfaces After Her Historic Win at Paris Olympics

An old interview featuring J.D. Vance criticizing Simone Biles has resurfaced after she made history at the 2024 Olympics.

The 27-year-old gymnast achieved a historic milestone by becoming the most decorated gymnast in American history, and her triumph came as a redemption after withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health issues.

The women's US gymnastics team's victory in the all-around finals, led by Biles, marked a significant moment in sports history. However, an old interview clip resurfaced shortly after her achievement, revealing Vance's criticism of the media's response to her Tokyo withdrawal.

In the clip, Vance, a Republican politician, expressed his views on Biles' decision to step back from the competition in July 2021, stating, “It’s understandable that she was going through an incredible amount of pressure, but what I find so weird about this – and it reflects on the media more than it does on Simone Biles – is that we’ve tried to turn a very tragic moment, Simone Biles quitting the Olympic team, into this act of heroism."

Vance questioned the media's portrayal of Biles' actions, highlighting the pressure elite athletes face and criticizing the trend of glorifying individuals in their "weakest moments."

"Being an athlete at that level is incredibly tough," the Trump VP pick continued. "A normal response in this moment would be to say: ‘It’s just a shame that she’s going through this. It’s a shame that she quit.’ But instead, what our press has done, I think, is turn this into this weird therapeutic moment. ‘Let’s praise her for doing this.’ And I think that’s really where the problem herein lies."

Biles' withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics — which wound up taking place in 2021 due to COVID-19 — was attributed to the "twisties," a condition that causes gymnasts to lose control mid-air, posing a significant risk during routines.

Despite this setback, she exhibited resilience and determination during the all-around team final in Paris.

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The resurfacing of Vance's past controversial comments, including remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, has sparked criticism from both the left and the right.

His statements regarding Harris as a "childless cat lady" and his views on the Democratic leadership have drawn the most scrutiny.

Vance's original comment was made in 2021 during an appearance on Tucker Carlson's former Fox News show. The senator referred to Harris, now the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, as one of the “childless cat ladies” running the nation who “want to make the rest of the country miserable too."

He told Carlson, "If you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez], the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children.”