Donald Trump’s running mate has defended comments in which he said the Democratic Party was run “by a bunch of childless cat ladies”.
JD Vance’s remarks, from a 2021 Fox News interview, were reposted earlier this week by Friends star Jennifer Aniston.
The actress used the clip to criticise his opposition to a law making IVF a universal right, adding: “I truly can’t believe this is coming from a potential VP of The United States.”
Mr Vance, 39, said in the interview: “We’re effectively run in this country… by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too.”
Giving vice president Kamala Harris and transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg as examples, he said “the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children”.
On Friday, the Ohio senator said he stood by the sentiment but that his remarks weren’t a criticism of people who decide not to have children.
He told Megyn Kelly on YouTube: “The simple point I made is that having children – becoming a father, becoming a mother – I really do think it changes your perspective in a pretty profound way.
“This is something, of course, we’ve recognised for hundreds of years in this country – that human civilisation has always recognised.”
Mr Vance added: “This is not about criticising people who, for various reasons, didn’t have kids. This is about criticising the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child.”
However, contrary to his 2021 remarks, Kamala Harris has two stepchildren and Pete Buttigieg has adopted twins.
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Aniston’s criticism of Mr Vance stemmed from the fact he was one of dozens of Republican senators who opposed the Right to IVF Act in June.
In her Instagram story, she said: “All I can say is… Mr Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day.
“I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.”
In 2022, Aniston revealed she unsuccessfully had IVF to try to have children when she was in her 30s and 40s.
Mr Vance, a bestselling author and former venture capitalist, was revealed as Mr Trump’s running mate earlier this month.
His Megyn Kelly interview came after the Democrats united behind Kamala Harris as their candidate for November’s presidential election.
Her campaign has seen a surge in donations and has been boosted by Barack and Michelle Obama’s endorsement.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, hosted Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida this week as part of a US visit that also saw him meet President Biden and Ms Harris.