Vice President JD Vance has sparked fresh controversy by telling former MSNBC host Joy Reid to show gratitude for her life in the United States, after she suggested he was admitted to Yale Law School because of his Appalachian background.
During an appearance on Don Lemon's podcast earlier this month, Reid argued that white people from non-traditional backgrounds sometimes benefit from racial bias. She specifically said: 'Maybe the way that JD Vance got into Yale is because they were tired of just letting in white men from New York, from all the elite schools, and they wanted an Appalachian white.'
Vance responded on social media by quoting a video of Reid speaking at Xavier College, where she recalled her immigrant mother's disappointment that America was 'not a land of opportunity for people like us.' The Vice President wrote: 'Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most. Yet she oozes with contempt. My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much happier person if you showed a little gratitude.'
The exchange mirrors Vance's earlier demand for gratitude from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he challenged to say 'thank you' for US aid during a tense Oval Office meeting. Critics were quick to point out the irony, noting that Vance and President Donald Trump have also shown contempt for institutions that helped them succeed.
Social media users argued that criticism and gratitude are not mutually exclusive. One commenter wrote: 'Gratitude doesn’t cancel criticism. You can appreciate America and still call out its flaws – that’s how progress happens.'
