California Governor Gavin Newsom has responded to a resurfaced photo of Vice President JD Vance in high school.
The image shows Vance, then 18, standing next to three girls inside a bathroom as they pose next to the urinals.
It has been circulating online, with one user comparing the image to a photo of Newsom when he was in high school.
Highlights
- California Governor Gavin Newsom trolled Vice President JD Vance over a viral high school photo showing Vance posing with girls by urinals.
- The bizarre 2003 Middletown High School photo was meant to show the power of female student government officers, explained one girl from the photo.
- Newsom has mimicked Trump's social media style to mock Vance, calling him “JD ‘Just Dance’ Vance” amid their political feud.
Gavin Newsom re-shared an image of JD Vance in his senior high school
Image credits: The White House
In contrast to the image of Vance posing in a bathroom, a black-and-white photo shows Newsom sitting down, wearing a scarf, and reading a newspaper.
“I miss that scarf,” Newsom wrote on X as he re-shared the post.
The image appeared in the 2003 Middletown High School yearbook, but there was no explanation behind the bizarre scene included.
One of the girls pictured has now told the Daily Mail that it was meant to be a comical moment to illustrate the power of female classmates in the student government.
“We thought it would be funny,” one of the women, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
“Usually it was all male officers, and we were an even split, and so it was sort of the opposite.”
Newsom’s quip comes amid his ongoing tit-for-tat feud with the vice president and the Trump administration, which intensified after the National Guard was deployed to California.
He has been following Trump’s social media posting style to issue nicknames for political opponents, write in full caps, and share flattering statements about himself through his press office.
The Vice President has been nicknamed JD “Just Dance” Vance, while Trump has been branded “Tiny Hands.”
Image credits: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Shortly before re-sharing the image of Vance in his senior year, Newsom posted a video of Vance running with the caption “Go get ‘em JD!” in response to the news that he would be present at Monday’s White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Over the weekend, Newsom’s press office commented on Vance’s recent trip to Indiana amid Trump’s push for Republican states to redraw congressional maps.
Mimicking Trump’s social media style, Newsom wrote, “NOT EVEN JD ‘JUST DANCE’ VANCE CAN SAVE TRUMP FROM THE DISASTROUS MAPS ‘WAR’ HE HAS STARTED.
Newsom has been mocking Trump’s social media writing style
“NOT EVEN HIS EYELINER LINES LOOK AS PRETTY AS CALIFORNIA ‘MAP’ LINES.
“HE WILL FAIL, AS HE ALWAYS DOES (SAD!) AND I, THE PEACETIME GOVERNOR — OUR NATION’S FAVORITE — WILL SAVE AMERICA ONCE AGAIN. MANY ARE NOW CALLING ME GAVIN CHRISTOPHER “COLUMBUS” NEWSOM (BECAUSE OF THE MAPS!). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. — GCN”
Newsom also commented on Vance’s family trip to Disneyland in July.
“JD is back in California. He won’t take the time to debate and defend gutting our Medicaid system, taking away kids’ school meals, militarizing America’s streets, or adding trillions to the debt,” he wrote on X.
Image credits: The White House
“Instead, he’s off to Disneyland. Probably to detain Mickey Mouse at this rate.”
He added later: “Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.”
Vance re-shared the post and simply wrote: “Had a great time, thanks.”
The vice president also accused Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of “egging on” violent anti-ICE protestors earlier this year.