EXCLUSIVE: JD Vance Critic Sues Secret Service Over Claims She Was Excluded From Events Due to Negative Posts About Veep
Amanda McGonigle claims she was excluded from JD Vance events over her political views.
Aug. 25 2026, Published 6:16 p.m. ET
A social media powerhouse who built a massive following mocking Vice President JD Vance has taken the U.S. Secret Service and Trump administration officials to federal court, claiming she was repeatedly shut out of official events because of her political views, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Amanda McGonigle, creator of the viral CatsOnACouch accounts, filed suit against Secret Service Director Sean Curran, Presidential Advance Director John Hiller, the Executive Office of the President and the Secret Service, accusing the government of First Amendment retaliation and viewpoint discrimination.
CatsOnACouch Takes Aim at Vance
McGonigle built a massive following with posts mocking Vice President JD Vance.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, McGonigle's cat-themed operation boasts a staggering 2.1million Instagram followers and more than 1million Facebook followers.
McGonigle launched CatsOnACouch in 2024 after Vance's infamous "childless cat ladies" remark, according to her sworn declaration.
She said she created the accounts to mock the administration and ultimately amass more followers than Vance himself.
The pages feature a mixture of cat memes, political commentary and criticism of the vice president. But McGonigle claims her online attacks eventually followed her offline.
She said she attempted to attend two official Vance events in May — one in Des Moines, Iowa, and another in Bangor, Maine — but was prevented from attending both.
Officials Confronted Her Over Posts
McGonigle claims officials singled her out before refusing her entry to a Vance event.
McGonigle said she successfully registered for the May 14 Bangor event through an official government registration page and received guest guidance bearing the seal of the Office of the Vice President.
She claimed she followed the rules and arrived with a friend before a group of five officials — including two armed Secret Service officers — approached and singled her out by name.
According to McGonigle's declaration, officials told her: "We know where you stand."
She responded: "It is a cat account; this is silly."
Secret Service Pushes Back
The Secret Service denied that political viewpoints determine access to JD Vance's events.
McGonigle claimed officials nevertheless refused her entry and told her the gathering was a "private" event. Her friend was also allegedly excluded because he was with her.
She further claimed nearby attendees wearing clothing supportive of the Trump administration were allowed inside. The Secret Service disputed the suggestion that it makes access decisions based on political views.
Special Agent in Charge Mark Comorosky said in a sworn declaration that the agency's role is security and that it does not assess or regulate attendees based on political opinions or protected speech.
McGonigle sought an emergency preliminary injunction ahead of another Vance appearance in Brewer, Maine, on August 24.
Lawsuit Remains an Ongoing Battle
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McGonigle's First Amendment claims remain at the center of her federal lawsuit.
However, the government assured the court that she would be allowed to attend with a valid registration and would be treated like similarly situated attendees.
A federal judge subsequently denied her request for a preliminary injunction, concluding that emergency intervention was unnecessary after the government said she would be permitted to attend.
McGonigle's underlying lawsuit, including her First Amendment retaliation and viewpoint discrimination claims, remains the broader legal battle.
