Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki took aim at Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio senator JD Vance, accusing him of “inauthenticity” on the campaign trail. Speaking on MSNBC Psaki said, “The American public can sniff inauthenticity… This guy is not authentic.”
Vance, who has been in the spotlight for his recent shift in support for former President Donald Trump, once faced backlash for a controversial joke about Diet Mountain Dew, claiming Democrats would argue “it’s racist to do anything.” This remark, along with his sudden embrace of Trump‘s populist ideology, has led to criticism from various quarters.
According to the Hill, Psaki emphasized the inconsistency in Vance’s political stance, saying, “He’s not presenting himself as who he was for many decades before he had this kind of about-face … in order to try to connect with the MAGA world.” She added, “Voters are not dumb; they’re smart.”

Jen Psaki: Voters can sniff authenticity and Vance is not authentic

On July 15, Trump announced Vance as his vice-presidential pick via a post on Truth Social, marking a significant turn in Vance’s political journey. Once an outspoken critic of Trump, Vance’s alignment with the former president’s agenda has sparked debate about his authenticity.
Vance’s actions on the campaign trail have continued to draw attention. Recently, he attempted to confront Vice President Kamala Harris in Wisconsin, where both their planes landed simultaneously. Speaking to reporters, Vance quipped, “I figured I’d come by and just get a good look at the plane because hopefully, it’s going to be my plane in a few months.”
“But I also thought you guys might get lonely because the Vice President doesn’t answer questions from reporters and hasn’t for 17 days,” he added. “Have they given you guys an explanation for why she won’t take questions from reporters? No. Nobody? Okay, great,” he asked the reporters.
Kamala Harris secured her party’s nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention after President Joe Biden withdrew his name from consideration. As the 2024 Presidential election approaches, Trump is seeking a return to the White House following his contentious exit in 2020.