Former President Donald Trump recently stirred confusion after making remarks that sounded as though he was criticizing his own vice-presidential pick, JD Vance. A tangled statement during a media interview prompted many listeners to think Trump had lumped Vance into a broader accusation of incompetence.
The confusion arose when Trump was asked about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Trump quickly dismissed Walz as “grossly incompetent,” bringing up earlier debate exchanges to support his view.
While responding, Trump said, “I thought from the day I watched J.D. destroy him in a debate. I was saying ‘Who is more incompetent? That man or my man?’” His wording gave the impression that he was comparing Walz’s performance with that of Vance—who was seated beside him at the time—making the statement appear like an accidental self-insult.
This ambiguous phrasing generated a wave of online chatter. Social media users wondered aloud why Trump would seemingly “roast” his own running mate, turning the moment into a minor public relations conundrum for the campaign.
The confusion was later addressed in a fact-check by Snopes. The report clarified that Trump was not calling Vance incompetent. Instead, the phrase “my man” was directed at another political figure entirely.
According to explanations given afterward, Trump’s comment referred to his 2024 debate opponent, former President Joe Biden. His mention of having debated “a man and a woman” further implied he was alluding to previous election matchups involving Biden and Hillary Clinton. In the end, the fuller context shows Trump was comparing the perceived shortcomings of his political adversaries—not criticizing the competence of his chosen vice-presidential candidate.
