Vice President J.D. Vance’s 41st birthday came with more than well-wishes as online users accused the Republican Party of editing his photo in a celebratory social media post.
On Saturday, the GOP’s official account on X posted a picture of Vance with the caption, “Happy Birthday Vice President J.D. Vance.”
But people quickly noticed odd details that made the image look suspicious.
Highlights
- GOP's official social media post of J.D. Vance’s birthday photo faced accusations of digital slimming and manipulation by online users.
- Viewers spotted irregularities like distorted stars on the flag and unnatural blending of Vance’s right arm in the GOP’s birthday image.
- Comparison with Vance’s original inauguration photo showed the GOP version made his waist look slimmer and arm spacing larger.
An image of J.D. Vance posted by the GOP seems to be photoshopped
Image credits: GOP/X
Viewers pointed out that Vance’s right arm looked strange, with his triceps appearing to blend unnaturally into the rest of his body. His thumb also appeared cut off, and the stars on the flag behind him looked distorted, especially near his head.
Some users compared the photo to the original image, which was taken on January 20, 2025, during Vance’s arrival at the Capitol for his swearing-in as vice president.
In the birthday version, the space between his waist and arm seemed larger, making him look slimmer.
His midsection also looks much more rounded out in the original.
The Daily Beast reported that it reached out to Vance’s office and the Republican National Committee for comment, but neither has responded.
This is not the first time Vance’s photos have raised questions.
In 2024, Georgia Rep. Mike Collins posted a heavily edited picture of Vance on social media. The altered image gave Vance a sharp jawline and a slimmer face, turning him into a “Chad” internet meme figure popular among some far-right users. While the post was meant as a tribute, it quickly drew online ridicule.
Image credits: RepMikeCollins
A different digitally altered image of Vance, showing him bald and bloated, began circulating in February 2025. That photo became a meme and has continued to follow the vice president online. In March, Vance told Blaze Media he was aware of the memes and found them “a funny trend.”
Memes of a photoshopped J.D. Vance have circulated before
Image credits: barflugnarven
Vance has been open about his weight loss. During his 2024 campaign, he told the Daily Mail that he had lost 30 pounds since becoming a senator in 2022.
He denied using weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, instead attributing his progress to eating less.
“I haven’t taken any drugs. Obviously, you eat a little bit less, but it’s also just eating better,” he said. “I tend to skip breakfast, whereas before I would have, like, you know, three waffles and scrambled eggs and bacon.”
The controversy over the new birthday photo adds to ongoing discussions about how politicians’ images are presented online.
Trump has also come under fire for repeatedly sharing AI‑generated images of himself on social media.
They’ve ranged from Trump being the Pope on the papal throne, a muscled Jedi wielding a lightsaber for Star Wars Day, presiding over a fictional ‘Trump Gaza’ resort, or even bursting out of a Thanksgiving turkey.
Unlike these AI creations, Vance’s photo appears to have been manually edited to slim his appearance.
As of Sunday, the GOP has not addressed the claims about the photo.