Fact Check: Did JD Vance tell Jasmine Crockett to ‘go back to the zoo’?
WASHINGTON, DC: Some videos making the rounds on social media claim that Vice President JD Vance told Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) to "go back to the zoo" during a congressional hearing.
It all started with a video posted on June 1 by a YouTube channel called DP Insights, titled, "JD Vance INSULTS Jasmine Crockett 'Go Back to The Zoo' — Her Reply Left America SPEECHLESS."
The narrator claimed, "Vance muttered 'go back to the zoo,' during a live congressional hearing. But what Crockett said next didn't just shut the room down, it made the whole country stop and think."
The video racked up more than 68,000 views as it was picked up and reshared across social media.
Fact Check: False, no evidence to support the claim
If a sitting vice president had actually made such a blatantly racist remark, every major news outlet in America would’ve been all over it. Instead, there are no credible news stories, no congressional footage, and absolutely no evidence to support the claim.
Down at the very bottom of that viral video was the fine print that blew the whole thing wide open.
A disclaimer read: "The stories presented on this channel are entirely fictional and crafted solely for entertainment. Any resemblance to real events, individuals, or situations is purely coincidental and unintentional. These narratives are not intended to depict, reference, or represent any actual occurrences, persons, or entities."
Snopes confirmed that the whole thing was made up. The video had used AI narration and images to bolster false claims.
Not the first rumor about JD Vance and Jasmine Crockett
This wasn’t even the first time DP Insights had spun a fictional tale starring JD Vance and Jasmine Crockett. Earlier, Snopes debunked another viral video from the same channel titled, "JD Vance Tried to Challenge Jasmine Crockett, He Wasn't Ready for the Clapback!"
That video teased an intense face-off during a supposed hearing on federal housing reform. "During a high-stakes congressional hearing on federal housing reform, Senator JD Vance took aim at Representative Jasmine Crockett, questioning her leadership, her city, and the people she represents. But what happened next wasn't loud or theatrical. It was personal, calculated, and devastatingly effective," the description read.
"Crockett didn't just respond, she redirected the entire conversation, shedding light on rural poverty, double standards, and the cost of being unheard. Backed by facts and her own lived experience, she turned a pointed question into a defining moment that left the room stunned and the internet buzzing," it continued, adding, "This is more than politics. It's about who gets blamed, who gets ignored, and who finally decides to speak up. Watch until the end, you'll understand why people are still talking about it."
Many viewers in the comments section of these videos treated them like gospel, reacting with outrage, admiration, and everything in between. But a simple check on Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo turned up nothing. There was no official footage, no news coverage, and no congressional transcripts.
Another red flag that casual viewers might have missed was that the video never referred to Vance as Vice President, it only called him a US senator.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
