JD Vance’s past comments about running mate projected onto Trump Tower ahead of VP debate

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Democrats have trolled JD Vance by projecting his past comments about Donald Trump directly onto Trump Tower ahead of the vice presidential debate on Tuesday evening.

The Democratic National Committee dug up historic remarks the Ohio senator has made about his running mate, including him branding the then-president an “idiot”.

The messages were beamed directly next to the entrance of Trump’s New York skyscraper on Monday in order to irk Republicans and remind citizens that he won’t agree to debate again, a DNC spokesperson said.

“Vance on Trump: ‘What an idiot,’” one projection read, with another reading: “My god what an idiot.”

A third illuminated Trump Tower with “Project 2025 HQ,” making reference to the Heritage Foundation’s 900-page manifesto for a prospective Republican administration. Trump denies any affiliation with the far-right think tank.

“Trump is a chicken,” read a fourth message, referencing the former president’s refusal to take part in a second debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.

“As Vance takes the debate stage to attempt to make up for Trump’s own lackluster debate performance, these projections on Trump Tower NYC are a reminder that Trump and Vance are out for themselves while Trump remains afraid to go back on that debate stage and be held accountable by Vice President Harris for his failed record and his dangerous agenda,” DNC spokesperson Abhi Rahman told CBS News about the stunt.

The DNC’s latest stunt occurred just hours after Vance arrived in New York City on Monday before he goes head-to-head against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday evening, for their first – and likely only – vice presidential debate.

The pair will exchange barbs in a 90-minute contest starting 9pm ET at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan, which will be broadcast live across the television network.

CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan will moderate the debate, which will maintain the same rules as Harris and Trump’s debate last month with one exception: microphones will be left on.

Polling from Prolific for The Independent has shone a light on the importance of the debate, with two-thirds of Democrats believing the vice presidential candidate has a significant impact on the success of the overall presidential ticket.

The DNC’s latest antics come after it beamed anti-Trump and anti-Vance slogans onto the former president’s 98-story skyscraper in Chicago in mid-August ahead of the Democratic National Convention.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago was the hub of a GOP counter-planning event at the time.

Back then, “Project 2025 HQ”, “Trump-Vance Weird as Hell,” “Trump-Vance out for themselves” and “Harris Walz joy and hope” were plastered across the building.