New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie suggested Vice President JD Vance‘s mother was right to have attempted to sell him for drugs in a Bluesky post on Wednesday.
In a series of comments on the left-wing platform, Bouie criticized Vance for a recent interview with the Daily Mail where he declined to apologize to Minnesota shooting victim Alex Pretti‘s family after accusing him of showing up with “ill intent” at an immigration enforcement protest.
“[T]his is a wicked man who knows he is being wicked and does it anyway,” Bouie wrote.
He added, “like, do you see that smirk? that brief ‘ain’t i a stinker’ grin? beneath contempt.”
Bouie also responded to a comment calling Vance “pompous” while musing “No wonder his mom tried to sell him for Percocets.”
“[I] can’t imagine a parent who wouldn’t sell little JD for percocet if they knew he would turn out like this,” Bouie remarked.
He added, “to be a bit serious one irony of vance’s life is that he is also an addict: addicted to power and clearly willing to sell anything to get it.”
Fox News Digital reached out to The New York Times and Vance’s office for comment.
Vance has frequently discussed his mother, Beverly Aikins, and her history of addiction during his childhood.
Aikins’ addiction began with a legitimate prescription for medication, but led to her stealing drugs from her patients, as detailed in his bestselling book, “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Throughout the book, Vance detailed remaining committed to her recovery.
“I knew that a mother could love her son despite the grip of addiction,” he wrote. “I knew that my family loved me, even when they struggled to take care of themselves.”
In April 2025, Vance led a celebration at the White House in honor of his mother achieving a decade of sobriety.
Today, Aikins works at Seacrest Recovery Center, a substance abuse treatment center in Cincinnati, Ohio, which lists her as a nurse on its website.
