Vice President JD Vance has defended the response to the controversy surrounding remarks about former First Lady Michelle Obama made during the Freedom 250 UFC event on the White House South Lawn. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, Vance said he believed the public backlash over the incident had been “totally disproportionate” and suggested the reaction had gone far beyond the comment itself.
The controversy began after UFC fighter Josh Hokit made an offensive remark about Michelle Obama while addressing the crowd at the event. The comment sparked widespread criticism, but Vance argued that the level of outrage it generated was excessive, offering his perspective during the nearly three-hour podcast interview.
JD Vance Defends Reaction To Josh Hokit’s Michelle Obama Comment At White House UFC Event
Vice President JD Vance defended the reaction to the controversy surrounding UFC fighter Josh Hokit’s remarks about former First Lady Michelle Obama, saying the backlash was excessive. Vance agreed that the comment was inappropriate for a White House event but argued that the response had gone too far. He said, “Fair, but the reaction to it to me was still totally disproportionate.” Vance added, “Dude, people say stuff all the time… I’m always a little bit caught off guard by the culture that just overreacts, when clearly the thing that Josh is trying to get is the overreaction in the first place, right?”
Vance said people were free to find the remark offensive but believed the issue should not have escalated as it did. He remarked, “You know, what happens when somebody tells me a joke that’s not funny? I don’t laugh, and then I move on with my life. This whole industry around outrage, especially getting outraged around humor, I think is actually really hurting the country.” During the conversation, Joe Rogan also noted that Hokit’s comment was not “the best thing to say at the White House,” while Vance laughed earlier in the discussion when asked whether Hokit’s remark or his fighting technique was more surprising.
Josh Hokit Responds To Controversy Over Michelle Obama Comment At White House UFC Event
The controversy began after Hokit told the crowd at the “Freedom 250 UFC” event, “Michelle Obama is a man, am I right America?” The comment drew widespread criticism, including from UFC president Dana White, who said he was “completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families.” Hokit later refused to apologize, claiming he had actually been complimenting the former First Lady. He said, “It’s more like she knows how to deal with adversity, she knows how to work hard like a man when the times get tough. It was a perfect opportunity to show the world how great this country is with freedom of speech.” The remark was widely criticized for echoing a long-debunked conspiracy theory about Michelle Obama.
