Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Unsurprisingly, the “Vance Curse” theory is getting a lot of attention.
It’s safe to say that last week is probably one U.S. Vice President JD Vance wants to forget.
The vice president is already the target of widespread online ridicule, portraying him as a bird of misfortune, practically destroying everything he touches.
Three major events of last week have poured fuel on the fire of the “Vance Curse” theory, as it has been dubbed, but first, let’s take a look at some past events.
Pope death, broken trophy and election loss
The not-so-flattering image has been circulating for some time, and April 2025 was probably one of the first times the theory of the “Vance Curse” started gaining traction.
After an unscheduled visit to the Vatican, Vance visited the then-Pope Francis—only for Francis to pass away the following day.
In May 2025, Vance attended a college football National Championship event, and videos from the event show the trophy breaking moments after Vance first touched it.
In the same month, Vance endorsed his half-brother for a Cincinnati mayoral election, and the half-brother ended up losing the election, getting only 11% of the votes.
All of these events happened in 2025, but last week really fueled the theory of the Vance Curse.
The first loss of last week: Orbán
During the final stretch of the Hungarian election, JD Vance visited Hungary to show the Trump administration’s support for the sitting Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.
During a rally, Vance called Donald Trump to let the president show his support for Orbán. At first, Trump didn’t pick up the phone, but he did the second time.
It didn’t help much, though, as Orbán suffered a massive defeat in the election Sunday, getting ousted from office after 16 years in power.
In fact, the opposition got so many votes that they achieved a supermajority in the Hungarian parliament, giving them the power to change the constitution, should they wish to do so.
The second loss of last week: Failed negotiations with Iran
On Saturday, JD Vance was the head of an American delegation meeting with Iran in Pakistan in an attempt to reach a peace deal to end the war, which has raged since February 28 and sent global oil prices skyrocketing.
The negotiations were unsuccessful.
The third loss of last week: Approval plummets
The final loss of last week for JD Vance is in the polls.
According to CNN, Vance’s approval ratings have now plummeted by 21% since the beginning of 2025, which, compared to other U.S. vice presidents, is one of the worst ratings after a little more than a year in office.
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What does it mean for Vance?
Vance has repeatedly been seen as the natural next Republican figure to run for president when Trump’s presidency ends.
But with the “Vance Curse” theory gaining traction and his approval plummeting, Vance will have a huge hill to climb if he is to have any hope of becoming president.
And if Vance continues to endorse politicians who then lose elections, the theory will probably gain even more traction.
And as we all know: The internet never forgets.
Sources: Reuters, BBC, CNN, AP, Newsweek
