JD Vance has been slammed after attempting to crack a joke with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, suggesting she might have called him a “jerk” without him knowing due to his lack of Italian language skills. The cringe attempt at humour by the US politician during a Rome visit came across as both a display of his own linguistic shortcomings and a poke at the sincerity of his host’s welcome.
Mr Vance is in Rome for meetings at the Vatican and with Prime Minister Meloni, following her recent trip to the White House. During a photo opportunity reminiscent of an Oval Office meeting, Ms Meloni told Mr Vance that Italy is “proud” to foster a “special relationship” with the US and the Trump administration.
Vance responded: “Great, well thank you, Prime Minister Meloni, it’s wonderful to see you again. I hope that’s exactly what you said.” Adding to the awkward situation with a glance at the media, he quipped: “Of course she could have called me a jerk, and I wouldn’t know… but it would be in the most beautiful language imaginable.”
While Ms Meloni managed a polite laugh at Mr Vance’s impolitic remark, social media users have been less forgiving in their responses. A blunt comment posted on X read, “you are a jerk” followed by another user’s observation, “if she had done, it would not have been an offence but just the reality”.
Someone else mocked Mr Vance by calling him an “embarrassment”, while another person pointed out that a trending Google search in Italy today is the Italian word for “a**hole”.
Mr Vance’s unconventional approach to diplomacy has previously caused a stir. He was previously ridiculed after a meeting with President Zelensky where he insisted the Ukrainian leader should express more gratitude to the US for offering aid in the war effort against Russia.
More recently, Mr Vance ignited a diplomatic row with China when he remarked: “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.”
Even the UK has been on the receiving end of Mr Vance’s controversial comments – in an Oval Office meeting, the 40-year-old implied to Sir Keir Starmer that Britain does not have free speech.
The British Prime Minister quickly dismissed this unfounded claim, asserting to Mr Vance “we’ve had free speech for a very long time, it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that”.
During his trip to Italy, Mr Vance is set to meet with Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, according to the White House. There has been no announcement of a meeting with Pope Francis, as the 88-year-old pontiff has significantly reduced his workload while recovering from a severe case of double pneumonia.
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