ESPN Analyst Sarah Spain Escalates Attack on JD Vance at Winter Olympics
ESPN journalist Sarah Spain has launched a fresh and furious attack on Vice President JD Vance during her coverage of the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, significantly escalating her previous criticism. The award-winning analyst, who previously described feeling "ill" upon seeing Vance at the Games, has now posted an angry video response to the social media backlash she received.
Initial Confrontation Sparks Controversy
Spain first sparked controversy when she described encountering Vance during a women's hockey match between the United States and Czechia on February 5. On her podcast 'Good Game with Sarah Spain,' the 45-year-old journalist recounted the moment when security personnel flooded the area and Vance arrived with his children and Senator Marco Rubio.
"When I see JD Vance's eyeliner face, I literally feel ill," Spain said. "I feel like I just looked at a demon, like the Devil. And I don't even believe in that, but my body felt like when you've been spooked and you have a little tingle that feels like, 'ooh, something's not right.'"
Instagram Video Response to Backlash
Over the weekend, Spain uploaded a video to Instagram addressing the criticism she received online. In her caption, she wrote: "Hey Sarah, why are zero-follower count troll accounts posting comments about how fat and ugly you are on your posts all of a sudden? GREAT QUESTION."
In the video itself, Spain explained: "Just wanted to give you a heads-up that if you see some weird comments on my Instagram that I haven't had the chance to delete yet, it's because I got called out for criticizing a pedophile-protecting American-who-was-executed-by-ICE-slandering person."
She continued: "Some of the people that are so cotton-headed that would defend literally anything done by this person are sliding into my mentions to call me fat, tell me they hope I get die and get cancer. So, if you see one of those don't be confused. It's just people who are currently in favor of what this administration are doing in this country."
Subsequent Encounters at the Games
Spain's frustration grew when she encountered Vance again at a later hockey game between the United States and Canada, this time accompanied by controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. "[Vance] brought a little demon friend, Jake Paul," Spain remarked. "Talk about only the finest people representing America."
She expressed particular annoyance at the Italian press, who she claimed "insisted on standing up after every single goal so that they could gawk at JD Vance and Jake Paul." Spain also complained that Secret Service personnel were "blocking half the ice" during the earlier game, interfering with spectators' ability to watch the hockey match.
Political Context of the Conflict
Spain's primary objection to Vance centers on his response to controversies surrounding the Trump administration's mass deportation policy. Specifically, she condemned Vance's statements about Alex Pretti, a protestor in Minneapolis who was fatally shot by US Border Patrol agents on January 24.
"This human being, allegedly, with demon energy, is slandering a dead man who was shot in the back while helping a woman and was not fighting and was not dangerous," Spain said of Vance.
Shortly after the shooting, Vance reposted a social media post from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller that described Pretti as "an assassin" who "tried to murder federal agents." In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Vance refused to apologize for endorsing Miller's statement, saying: "For what? If something is determined that the guy who shot Alex Pretti did something bad, then a lot of consequences are going to flow from that."
Spain's Professional Background
Sarah Spain has worked for ESPN in various roles since 2010, appearing on numerous shows including 'First Take,' 'Olbermann,' 'Mike & Mike,' and 'The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.' An Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist, she launched the first and only daily women's sports podcast, 'Good Game with Sarah Spain,' in July 2024. The show was nominated for 'Best Sports Podcast' at the 2025 Ambies Awards for Excellence in Audio.
Despite the escalating controversy, Spain concluded her Instagram video by stating: "I couldn't give two s***s about their opinion of me. Especially when I am here living the dream. Let's care more about people who are protecting those who rape kids and murder American citizens than the journalists who call them out for it."
