A Clip of Vice President JD Vance Broke Football Championship Trophy during a White House ceremony for the Ohio State Buckeyes triggered widespread claims he “broke” it. The clip, showing the trophy’s base falling as Vance lifted it, spread rapidly on X and YouTube, sparking memes, political jabs, and accusations. However, the incident was misreported, with no damage to the trophy.
White House Ceremony
The Ohio State University football team visited the White House to celebrate their 2024 national championship, a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame. Held on the South Lawn, the event featured speeches by President Donald Trump, Ohio State coach Ryan Day, and Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio State alumnus and former Ohio senator.
As the ceremony concluded, Vance joined running back TreVeyon Henderson to lift the championship trophy for a photo op while the U.S. Marine Band played “We Are the Champions.”
When Vance grasped the trophy, its base detached and fell to the ground. He laughed, Henderson steadied the trophy, and the crowd, including players, chuckled. Trump quipped, “That’s why we have insurance!”
The moment, captured on a live stream, lasted seconds but exploded online, amassing millions of views across platforms like X and YouTube. The brief fumble became a viral sensation, with many assuming Vance had damaged a prestigious award.
Trophy Design
JD Vance did not break the trophy. The College Football Playoff National Championship trophy, crafted by Waterford Crystal, is a 35-inch, 45-pound piece valued at over $30,000. Its design includes a detachable base, a standard feature for heavy awards to simplify transport and display.
The College Football Playoff (CFP) committee stated the base uses a locking mechanism that can loosen during movement. A CFP spokesperson confirmed the trophy was undamaged; the base detached due to an unsecured lock, likely loosened during transport from Atlanta, site of the championship game, to Washington, D.C.
Ohio State’s athletic department verified the trophy was reassembled and displayed intact at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. A similar incident occurred in 2018 with Alabama’s trophy, also causing brief confusion.
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The dramatic visual of the falling base fueled false claims Vance “smashed” or “destroyed” it, spread by social media’s rapid amplification. Outlets like ESPN and The Columbus Dispatch later confirmed the trophy’s intact status, citing CFP statements and footage analysis.
Social Media Reaction
The clip sparked a polarized frenzy on X. Critics pounced, with one user posting, “JD Vance fumbles a trophy—VP skills questionable?” A viral meme showed Vance juggling, captioned, “When you’re VP but gravity wins.” Some tied it to political narratives, joking, “First couch rumors, now trophy fumbles—Vance’s bad luck.” Supporters countered, emphasizing the trophy’s design. One wrote, “It’s a detachable base, not broken. Media’s milking this.” Another praised Vance’s recovery, saying, “He laughed it off—true Buckeye spirit.”
Hashtags like #TrophyGate and #VanceFumble trended, with TMZ and Barstool Sports amplifying the clip. As clarifications surfaced, some users backtracked, one admitting, “Thought Vance broke it, but it’s just the trophy’s design.
My mistake.” Ohio State fans rallied, with one commenting, “Trophy’s fine, Buckeyes are champs—let’s focus on the win.” The incident’s virality underscored social media’s power to distort minor moments into major controversies.
The episode reveals how quickly misinformation spreads online. Claims Vance broke the trophy outpaced the truth, driven by political divides and viral appeal. It highlighted the intense scrutiny public figures face, where a fleeting mishap becomes global news.
The Buckeyes’ celebration remained the focus, with Coach Day calling the visit “a proud day for Buckeye Nation.” Vance addressed it on X, posting, “Trophy’s good, Buckeyes rule, and I’ll leave lifting to the pros!”
The video is available on YouTube via C-SPAN’s White House coverage or X posts. Search “JD Vance Ohio State trophy White House” to see the fumble and recovery, confirming no damage occurred. The incident serves as a reminder to verify viral claims before jumping to conclusions.