Vince Vaughn chatted up Donald Trump and Melania at a college football game — and people have opinions
Vince Vaughn said hello to President Donald Trump and Melania Trump at Monday’s college football national championship — and social media has been stirred up over it.
The brief exchange took place in New Orleans, where the Louisiana State University Tigers bested the Clemson University Tigers. The Old School and Wedding Crashers actor sat next to the president and first lady and had what appeared to be a pleasant exchange, mostly with him. The men then shook hands and off Vaughn went.
The clip quickly made its way to social media for dissection and debate — and Vaughn was soon trending on Twitter.
I'm very sorry to have to share this video with you. All of it, every part of it. pic.twitter.com/ELMbDHZbZq
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 14, 2020
Not unlike the stir made when Ellen DeGeneres sat with George W. Bush at a football game last year, there were opinions — perhaps more this time, given that the president is facing an impeachment trial.
Those most critical of Vaughn for appearing chummy with the president called for his cancellation.
I'll never not see this image when I look at #VinceVaughan. It may have ruined my favorite movies. It will definitely stop me from going to more of his movies. #Stage5Clinger #PutinsGOP
— banegirl ?? (@TheRealBaneGirl) January 14, 2020
But others, including Dana Loesch, soon stepped up to criticize people who had a problem with it.
Why, exactly, would you be sorry about an American actor getting to meet and shake hands with his President?
— RussiaGate Was 100% Fake SpyGate Is 100% Real (@drawandstrike) January 14, 2020
Imagine being so triggered that Vince Vaughn spoke with POTUS for 5 seconds that you respond to people like this. Dude, grow up. https://t.co/z8VakyYeDP
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) January 14, 2020
And then, because it’s Twitter, there were soon critics of reports of the criticism.
Democrats aren't mad about Vince Vaughn chatting with Trump. Nobody cares. Fox & Friends and Hogan Gidley are making stuff up. pic.twitter.com/UJAmABysPO
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 14, 2020
The weird thing about the “PeOpLe aRe OuTrAgEd AbOuT ViNcE VaUgHn” narrative being pushed really hard right now by conservative media, is that it doesn’t actually seem like there actually are people outraged https://t.co/9RIMzqEVVP
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) January 14, 2020
Thankfully, there were also jokes. So many jokes.
The left doesn’t want to cancel Vince Vaughn because they can’t remember who he is.
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) January 14, 2020
I don’t understand how you get livid at Vince Vaughn over shaking hands with the president if you found it in your heart to forgive him for the “Psycho” remake.
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 14, 2020
I’m so disappointed in Vince Vaughn that I went to the GUNZ N MORE Pawn Shop and bought all his VHS movies and threw them all out.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 14, 2020
In the wake of the controversy, a rep for Vaughn told People magazine that he and Trump did not attend the championship together. Instead, they “met this evening at the game briefly.”
As for Vaughn’s politics, he told Playboy in 2015 that he’s a libertarian, saying, “Trusting the federal government to know what we need and to run things well feels like a bad idea... [Adults] should be allowed to decide what’s in their interest, what makes sense for them, unless they commit fraud or physical force or take someone’s property.”
In a 2015 interview, Vaughn said schools should have more guns to protect from mass shootings. He said, “Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won’t rid the world of criminality.”
And while he looked friendly with Trump, Vaughn backed Republican Rand Paul in the 2016 election rather than the president. Vaughn has also publicly supported Ron Paul, giving a speech on his behalf when he was a Republican presidential candidate in 2012.
In October, DeGeneres was caught on camera sitting next to former President George Bush at an NFL game. She was criticized at the time, but defended herself — and her friendship — on the show.
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