Ohio Senator JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee alongside Donald Trump, faced a mixed reception during his speech at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) convention in Boston. As Vance approached the podium, several members of the crowd booed, reflecting a divided response from the audience.
In his opening remarks, Vance acknowledged the boos with a smile, saying, “Sounds like we got some fans and some haters, that’s OK, let’s listen to what I have to say here, and I’ll make my pitch.” He expressed gratitude to IAFF President Edward Kelly and the union members, praising them as the “embodiment of the American spirit: heroic, determined, selfless, hard-working, and tough.”
JD Vance calls audience “haters” as he is booed at firefighters union conference pic.twitter.com/J8TI94gAIt
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Vance also mentioned Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s speech from the previous day, commending the union for allowing both sides to present their perspectives. His recognition of the union’s inclusive approach drew applause from the audience.
Throughout his speech, Vance emphasized his and Trump’s commitment to being a “pro-worker Republican ticket” and promised to fight for both union and non-union workers. Despite these statements, his remarks elicited more boos, particularly when discussing the campaign’s support for workers.
Vance also shared a personal story about his mother’s battle with addiction and the impact firefighters had on his life as a child. He expressed gratitude for their service, stating, “You do make a difference; you make a difference every single day, and I thank you for it.”
As the speech continued, Vance tried to appeal to the diverse political views within the union, acknowledging that not everyone in the audience supported Trump. He candidly shared that he was not always a Trump supporter himself, attempting to build common ground with those who may be skeptical of his candidacy.
In response to the mixed reactions, Vice President Kamala Harris’s official campaign account on X (formerly Twitter) shared clips of the crowd booing Vance, mocking the candidate online. Meanwhile, the Trump War Room campaign account highlighted moments when the crowd applauded, particularly when Vance spoke against vaccine mandates.
Despite the divided reception, Vance concluded his speech with a pledge to support firefighters and first responders, regardless of political endorsement, stating, “Whether you support us or not, whether you ultimately endorse us or not, President Trump and I believe in our firefighters, we believe in our first responders, and we will never stop fighting for you.”