Fact Check: JD Vance had sex with a couch

Fact Check: "JD Vance had sex with a couch"

What We Know

The claim that Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance had sex with a couch originates from a viral joke on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). This joke falsely asserted that Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, contained a passage describing an encounter with an "inside-out latex glove shoved between two couch cushions" (Joffe-Block, 2024). The original post, made by a user on July 15, 2024, included fabricated page numbers to lend credibility to the claim. However, there is no such mention in Vance's memoir, and the user later indicated that the post was intended as a joke (Liles, 2024).

The rumor gained traction despite being debunked by multiple sources, including the Associated Press, which initially published a fact-check stating, "No, JD Vance did not have sex with a couch" (Liles, 2024). This fact-check was later retracted due to editorial issues, which inadvertently fueled further speculation and sharing of the false claim (Joffe-Block, 2024).

Analysis

The claim about JD Vance is a classic example of how misinformation can spread rapidly on social media, particularly when framed as humor. The original joke was not based on any factual evidence but rather on a satirical interpretation of Vance's character, particularly in the context of his political persona (Joffe-Block, 2024).

While the humor may resonate with some audiences, it is essential to recognize that the claim itself is entirely false. Vance's memoir does not contain any reference to such an incident, and the assertion was explicitly identified as a joke by its creator (Liles, 2024). The reliability of the sources that propagated the rumor, including social media users and some news outlets, varies significantly. While established news organizations like the Associated Press attempted to fact-check the claim, their retraction undermined their credibility in this instance (Joffe-Block, 2024).

Furthermore, the dynamics of content moderation on platforms like X have contributed to the rapid spread of such misinformation. Experts have noted that the platform's reduced moderation policies under its current ownership have made it easier for false claims to proliferate (Joffe-Block, 2024).

Conclusion

The claim that JD Vance had sex with a couch is False. It originated from a satirical post that misrepresented the content of his memoir, which does not include any such passage. Despite attempts to debunk the rumor, it has continued to circulate, highlighting the challenges of discerning fact from fiction in the current media landscape.

Sources

1. What the JD Vance couch jokes say about social media ...
2. No, JD Vance Did Not Say He Had Sex with Couch Cushions
3. J.D. Vance and the Couch Sex Rumors, Explained - Vulture
4. No, JD Vance didn't fuck a couch. But saying he did is free ...
5. AP yanks fact-check on raunchy but false claims that JD Vance had an ...
6. Democrats continue to joke about false JD Vance rumor ...
7. Ill. Gov. Pritzker repeats baseless couch claim about Vance
8. AP Fact Checks Claim That JD Vance Had Sex with a Couch - Mediaite