DNC slams JD Vance over fishing trip with UK official, as GOP fires back

Hold onto your fishing rods, folks — Vice President JD Vance is under fire from the Democratic National Committee for a seemingly innocent angling outing with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

During an official trip to the United Kingdom, Vance found himself in hot water with the DNC for fishing on a private lake at Chevening House, Lammy’s official residence, while accusations of illegal activity and misuse of taxpayer funds swirl, prompting a sharp Republican rebuttal, as Fox News reports.

The incident unfolded on the grounds of Chevening House, south of London, just before a scheduled meeting between Vance and Lammy focused on critical global issues like the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Vance’s UK visit spurs controversy

During the same visit, Vance also addressed U.S. troops at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a speech the DNC claims lasted a mere six minutes before he allegedly retreated to a luxury manor in the Cotswolds.

The DNC pounced with a press release titled “VACATION VANCE AT IT AGAIN,” accusing him of prioritizing leisure over the struggles of American families facing economic hardship. “Vance is living it up on his summer holiday — on the taxpayers’ dime,” they charged, a claim that seems more about political theater than substance.

Let’s be real: while families grapple with inflation, painting a fishing trip as the root of all evil feels like a stretch, even for the DNC’s creative spin machine.

Fishing license fiasco fuels debate

Adding fuel to the fire, U.K. reports noted that Lammy lacked a valid fishing license for the outing, a requirement by the Environment Agency for freshwater fishing in England and Wales.

The British Foreign Office acknowledged the oversight, stating the secretary “has written to the Environment Agency” about the missing licenses for this diplomatic engagement. If a £2,000 fine looms for Lammy, as the DNC gleefully suggests, perhaps they’ve forgotten that paperwork slip-ups aren’t exactly high treason.

Still, the DNC insists on framing this as Vance fishing “illegally,” a jab that smells more of desperation than a genuine scandal.

DNC’s broader attacks on VP

The DNC didn’t stop at fishing — they’ve accused Vance of using public resources for personal leisure, citing a birthday boating trip and even alleging that former U.K. Chancellor George Osborne orchestrated his social itinerary in the so-called “Hamptons of the UK.”

They’ve also tied Vance and President Donald Trump to sweeping policy failures, claiming they’ve stripped health care from millions and slashed food assistance for families to favor wealthy donors. It’s a laundry list of grievances, but lumping a lakeside chat with global diplomacy feels like overreach.

Critics have further tried to paint Vance as out of touch, pointing to an Ohio river kayaking trip for his 41st birthday, where his security detail requested water level adjustments for safety — hardly the hallmark of entitlement when safety protocols are at play.

Republicans push back

Republicans aren’t taking this lying down, with RNC spokeswoman Kiersten Pels telling Fox News Digital, “The DNC’s donors are OK with funding press releases on a fishing rod license?” Her quip about pulling funding before it “vanishes down the drain” lands a polite but pointed jab at the DNC’s priorities.

Meanwhile, Vance himself brushed off the drama with humor, joking to reporters about “one strain on the special relationship” being that his kids out-fished Lammy. If anything, that lighthearted moment shows a human side the DNC seems eager to ignore.

Even California Gov. Gavin Newsom chimed in on social media about Vance’s Disneyland trip with his kids, snarking, “Hope you enjoy your family time.” Vance’s simple reply, “Had a great time, thanks,” reminds us that family moments aren’t a crime, even for busy public servants.