WATCH: JD Vance gets booed at firefighters' union conference, calls them 'haters'

JD Vance spoke at the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) conference just a day after Tim Walz's appearance there
PUBLISHED AUG 29, 2024
Sen JD Vance continued with his speech at the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) conference despite getting criticized at the beginning (Getty Images)
Sen JD Vance continued with his speech at the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) conference despite getting criticized at the beginning (Getty Images)

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Senator JD Vance (R-OH) did not receive the warmest reception during his speech at the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) conference in Boston on Thursday, August 29.

He spoke to the group just a day after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's IAFF speech. Vance attempted to position himself and former president Donald Trump as Republicans who stand apart from previous GOP administrations.



 

JD Vance attempts to pitch himself and Donald Trump as pro-worker

The GOP vice presidential candidate took the stage after being introduced by Rep Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), where he was met with a mix of boos and cheers from the audience, Raw Story noted.

Harris' campaign also shared the video captioning it, "JD Vance calls audience 'haters' as he is booed at firefighters union conference."



 

Despite the less-than-welcoming reception, Vance remained composed and addressed the audience, saying, "Semper fi, guys. Sounds like we've got some fans and we've got some haters, that's okay! Listen to what I have to say here, and I'll make my pitch."

During his speech, Vance focused on promoting the blue-collar credentials of both himself and Trump.

"President Trump and I are proud to be the most pro-worker Republican ticket in history, and I want to talk about why we're fighting for working people, why we're going to fight for unions and non-union alike," Vance said, affirming his commitment to both union and non-union workers.

JD Vance and Tim Walz's comparison: 'A Tale of Two Campaigns'

Following JD Vance's speech, fan reactions began pouring in on social media, with some users drawing comparisons between the receptions of Vance and Tim Walz at the conference.

"A Tale of Two Campaigns. 1. Tim Walz cheered by firefighters. 2. JD Vance booed by firefighters," one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, sharing combined video clips of both political figures.



 

Despite the boos, some fans shared clips from the beginning of Vance's speech, showing moments when the audience cheered for him.



 

Internet reacts to JD Vance's remarks as he's booed at IAFF conference

The mixed reception of JD Vance's speech also sparked various reactions online.

One user commented on X, saying, "'Fans and haters' are just called 'voters.'" Another remarked, "Ladies and gentleman. I present to you Mr. Awkward! I caution you, he will say anything for votes!"

Some reactions supported Vance's approach, with one user writing, "Good for JD Vance and Tim Walz understand what those firefighters go through."

Another person mocked, "Not embarrassing—he acknowledges fans and haters like a normal person instead of erasing/changing all of his old policy positions like Kamala."



 



 



 



 

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.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

The map, which was passed with a vote of 57-41, redraws Indianapolis into four districts
2 hours ago
Donald Trump said his admin is 'seriously' studying Australia’s employer-funded retirement system as a possible model to strengthen US savings
3 days ago
House Republicans backed Trump’s Venezuela strikes but urged the White House to provide clearer plans after a follow‑up attack killed survivors
3 days ago
RFK Jr hailed the end of ‘20-year war on women’ as he said that removing black box warnings on hormone therapy would expand access for millions
4 days ago
Donald Trump said that he had aced his medical exams as he floated a plan to abolish federal income tax and replace it with tariffs
4 days ago
Republicans debated Donald Trump’s economic ideas as Rand Paul cautioned that tariffs and investor optimism could trigger a severe correction.
5 days ago
Democrats push for 'HIRE Act' to double H‑1B visas, sparking GOP backlash, as the bill can raise the annual cap to 130,000
7 days ago
Trump called himself the ‘affordability president’ in a medicine‑price post as he claimed that invoking Favored Nation rules drove historic drops
7 days ago
Donald Trump defended tariffs and warned of ‘evil forces’ at the Supreme Court as he urged justices to uphold his emergency powers
7 days ago
Elissa Slotkin’s comment about the federal troops was based on the alleged comment Trump made
Nov 29, 2025