JD Vance denies being Trump’s ‘very famous’ friend who tried Ozempic: 'He's not talking about me'

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance sought to clear up speculation about a story President Donald Trump shared involving a ‘very famous’ friend who tried a popular weight-loss drug, saying emphatically, ‘Not me.’

The exchange, delivered during a White House Cabinet meeting, drew laughter from reporters and sparked a wider guessing game about the identity of the mysterious acquaintance.

The interruption came after Trump, 79, retold the story at the White House on Thursday about a businessman friend who had been trying to lose weight using ‘the fat shot,’ a reference to GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic.

JD Vance jokes he’s not Trump’s weight-loss friend

The moment unfolded during an otherwise routine Cabinet meeting when Trump retold a story about a heavyset friend who paid far less for the drug abroad than in the US and then did not appear to lose weight.

Trump said, “I told him it wasn’t working. For him, it didn’t work.” He added, “He knows I’m talkin’ about him. It drives him crazy. He begs me not to mention it.”

At that point, Vance, 41, interjected to make his position clear: “He’s not talking about me.” The comment drew laughter from those in the room, creating a brief off-script moment that contrasted with the administration’s usual serious policy discussions.

Trump jokes about Ozempic, sparks ‘fat friend’ speculation

Trump repeatedly brought up a story about an overweight friend during the meeting. He said the man was upset because Ozempic costs only $87 in London but a whopping $1,300 in New York.

Trump acknowledged that the price difference is a problem but then joked that the medication is not working anyway, saying his friend is “fatter than ever.” Some have speculated that Trump may have been referring to himself.

Earlier this month, he told The New York Times that he should “probably” be on Ozempic but is not.

Vice President JD Vance lost 30 pounds between 2022 and 2024, but no one has seriously suggested he is Trump’s mysterious overweight friend.

Vance spoke only briefly during Thursday’s meeting, delivering one-liners while other Cabinet members praised Trump. At the conclusion of the meeting, Trump invited Vance to speak, but he offered only brief praise and joked, “I’m just here for the free coffee.”

Earlier in the meeting, Trump complained that media outlets made a big deal about him appearing to snooze during a December Cabinet meeting, saying, “The last time we had a press conference, it lasted for three hours, and some people said ‘he closed his eyes.’ Look, it got pretty boring.”