JD Vance Admits Kamala Harris 'Childless Cat Ladies' Jab Was 'One of the Dumbest Things' He's Ever Said — 'A Clear Moment Where I Failed'
JD Vance admitted that his controversial 'childless cat ladies' remark was one of the 'dumbest things' he had ever said.
June 16 2026, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Vice President JD Vance is expressing regret over one of the most controversial remarks of his political career, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In his forthcoming memoir, Communion, Vance reflects on his 2021 "childless cat ladies" jab aimed at Kamala Harris and other Democrats, calling it "one of the dumbest things" he has ever said.
'One of the Dumbest Things I Ever Said'
The vice president described the comment as a 'boneheaded' attempt to be provocative rather than persuasive.
"One of the dumbest things I ever said came when I argued that 'childless cat ladies' across the Democrat Party were running our country into the ground," Vance writes in the book, according to excerpts obtained by NBC News.
"The comment caused two firestorms: the first when I made it, the second years later during a political campaign," he continues. "It was a boneheaded comment, intentionally (and successfully) provocative rather than illuminating."
Vance made the remark during a 2021 appearance on Tucker Carlson's Fox News program while running for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio.
During the interview, he described Harris and other Democratic leaders as childless politicians "who want to make the rest of the country miserable too." Harris is a stepmother to two children through her husband, Doug Emhoff.
A Different Response Than Before
The comment resurfaced in 2024 after he was selected as Donald Trump's running mate.
The comments resurfaced in 2024 after Donald Trump selected Vance as his running mate, creating a wave of backlash during his introduction to a national audience.
At the time, Vance declined to apologize for the remark.
"I have a lot of regrets," he said during an August 2024 appearance on NBC News' Meet the Press, "but making a joke three years ago is not at the top 10 of the list."
In Communion, however, Vance said the controversy ultimately distracted from the broader argument he intended to make.
'A Clear Moment Where I Failed'
Reflecting on the episode through the lens of his Catholic faith, he called it 'a clear moment where I failed.'
Vance writes that the remark was "enraging" and acknowledged that it "had the added benefit of distracting from the actual point I wanted to make, which was that our society is becoming pathologically hostile to having kids."
He adds, "I could have made that point much more effectively, and with the benefit of showing a little charity to the many Americans who – some for reasons beyond their control – don't have children."
The vice president then connected the episode to lessons he said he has learned through his Catholic faith.
"And that brings me to another lesson of the faith for Christian statesmen," Vance writes. "It's okay to admit error."
"When I consider the Church's admonition to respect the dignity of every life, this was a clear moment where I failed," he adds.
Faith, Family, and Reflection
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Vance also dedicated his new memoir to wife Usha Vance.
The admission appears in Communion, Vance's follow-up to his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy.
The book chronicles his spiritual journey from Protestantism to atheism and ultimately to Catholicism, while also exploring topics including immigration, abortion, and family life.
Vance dedicated the memoir to his wife, Usha Vance, writing: "For my darling Usha, who taught me to think on those things that are honest, just, pure, and lovely."
"There is at least a little irony in the fact that my non-Christian wife helped lead me back to my own Christian faith, and then made it possible for me to discuss the journey on paper," he adds in the acknowledgements. "The Lord works in mysterious ways, indeed."
