Fact Check: Did Denzel Washington sue JD Vance for $100M following courtroom argument?
WASHINGTON, DC: In the swirl of the current political climate, the rumors of Hollywood heavyweights locking horns with Capitol Hill power players have turned into a near-daily spectacle.
This time, the wave of new outlandish rumours has targeted Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
The rumors, fueled by viral social media videos and posts, shockingly claimed that the ‘Bone Collector’ star has sued Vice President JD Vance for $100 million after a fiery courtroom showdown over President Donald Trump’s much-hyped "big, beautiful bill."
Claim: Denzel Washington sued JD Vance for $100 million following a courtroom argument
The improbable rumour started making rounds on the internet after a manager of the Valorium Story YouTube channel published a now-viral video titled, "Denzel Washington SUES JD Vance for $100M — What He Reveals DESTROYS His Career Instantly."
The video, which has garnered over 284,000 views as of this writing, claimed that more than 17 million people witnessed a furious argument between the ‘Malcom X’ actor and the vice president, taking place in an unspecified US district court in Washington.
The viral clip claims that Washington took aim at Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” criticizing its sweeping Medicaid cuts. The actor was equally angered by Vance’s disparaging remarks about low-income families made during court proceedings.
“When Vice President JD Vance mocked Denzel Washington during a live congressional hearing, he thought it was just another soundbite. What followed was a $100 million lawsuit that didn't just challenge his words—it dismantled his career,” the text description under the video read.
“In this gripping political drama, Denzel doesn't yell. He doesn't rage. He lets the truth speak—and what he reveals in court is more powerful than any insult Vance could throw. Watch as the courtroom turns into a battleground, where silence becomes strategy, and one man's quiet resolve rewrites the rules of power, dignity, and accountability. This isn't just a case. It's a reckoning,” the description continued.
As the video went viral on the internet, the curious internet users further shared the rumors on other social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Bluesky.
Fact check: No credible evidence to back claim that Denzel Washington sued JD Vance for $100 million
The shocking claims made in the viral videos are completely false, as there is no concrete evidence to back the rumours that Denzel Washington sued JD Vance.
Media sources worldwide would have been ablaze with coverage if the actor had actually confronted the vice president in a courtroom — and if 17 million viewers had indeed tuned in live.
Searches of Bing, DuckDuckGo, Google, and Yahoo found no such reports, according to the fact-checking outlet Snopes.
Also, during the upload procedure, the owner of the YouTube channel selected "yes" when asked if an "altered or synthetic content" label should be shown.
This label referenced the fact that the video's scripting and voice narration originated from generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools.
Most notably, Washington hasn’t made any comment against Vance or Trump’s "big beautiful bill."
