Caitlin Upton, the former Miss Teen USA contestant who was widely mocked after a stuttering response in 2007, has criticised JD Vance for recirculating footage of the incident to attack Kamala Harris. Upton, who has spoken openly about contemplating suicide due to the harassment she faced, described the renewed attention as “a shame” and called for an end to online bullying.
Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, posted the clip on X shortly before CNN aired an interview with Harris, captioning it: “BREAKING: I have gotten ahold of the full Kamala Harris CNN interview.” Upton responded on Friday, saying: “Regardless of political beliefs, one thing I do know is that social media and online bullying still needs to stop.” She later deleted her X account.
In the original 2007 pageant, hosted by Donald Trump’s organisation, Upton was asked why she believed 20% of Americans could not locate the US on a world map. Her rambling answer, which included references to “South Africa and the Iraq”, sparked a torrent of online abuse, and she told New York magazine that someone sent her a note suggesting she “go die”.
Vance appeared on CNN on Friday and described the video as “a 20-year-old meme”, urging Upton to “laugh it off”. He added: “I’m not going to apologise for posting a joke – but I wish the best for Caitlin and hope she’s doing well.” The incident adds to a series of controversies for Vance, who has previously faced backlash over remarks about “childless cat ladies” and women’s career choices.
Upton, now a married mother of two working in real estate, had previously expressed support for Trump, including his false claims about the 2020 election. She said her family helped her overcome the depression caused by the earlier harassment.
