JD Vance's wild take on weight loss drug Ozempic sparks criticism
Politicians usually avoid cracking jokes about eating habits—especially when it comes to weight loss drugs. But not JD Vance. The Vice President of the United States stunned listeners with a strange and awkward take on the popular diabetes and weight loss drug Ozempic, casually tossing in a cannibalism reference that many are calling "gross" and "tone-deaf.
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On a recent appearance on comedian Theo Von's podcast, Vance launched into an unscripted riff about a medical commercial he'd seen. 'I only saw it briefly,' he said, 'but I could have sworn that two of the medications in this med pack were—Ivermectin and Ozempic. And I'm like thinking to myself, what is the situation where you need emergency Ozempic?'
Then came the part that really raised eyebrows. With a laugh, Vance added, 'I thought like, you know, if you have a Donner Party situation...
and it's like alright, we gotta suppress our appetites.'
Wait—what?
What was the Donner Party?
Credit: X/@pitsenberger
To decode Vance's joke, you'd have to go back to 1846, when a group of American pioneers known as the Donner Party became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains while traveling to California. With winter closing in and food supplies exhausted, some members of the group reportedly resorted to cannibalism to survive.
It's a dark, tragic chapter in American history—and probably not the best setup for a punchline about a modern weight-loss drug.
Social media reactions
Social media lit up in the hours after the podcast aired, with critics slamming Vance for making light of both the desperation of the Donner Party and the medical struggles of people using Ozempic. Many pointed out that the drug is not just used by people who want to lose weight, but is also used by diabetes patients.
One user commented, 'Ozempic was designed for patients with diabetes, and people with the disease also use it, J Dunce. Diabetes can be caused by other conditions, like pancreatitis and pregnancy. '
Another commented, 'What kinda of #weirdo uses "Donner Party" as the metric to evaluate bulimic therapy???' A third said, 'Why is he talking like he is expert on something he doesn't know about? Ozempic is a diabetic drug.
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It helps to regulate sugar in diabetics.'
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a prescription medication primarily used to help manage type 2 diabetes. It works by mimicking a natural hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and slows digestion, which can help people feel fuller for longer. While not originally developed as a weight loss drug, one of its side effects is appetite suppression—leading to noticeable weight loss in many patients. In recent years, Ozempic has entered the public conversation beyond diabetes care, with growing demand among people seeking medical help for obesity.
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