FnF News
FNF News | Politics & Culture
Published: June 21, 2025
By: Khadija Khan, Senior Political Correspondent
Here Come the Karens! LA’s Mayor Melts Down Over JD Vance’s Trolling of Senator What’s-His-Name
Los Angeles, CA — In what can only be described as a political temper tantrum wrapped in coastal elitism, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass launched into a furious tirade after Senator JD Vance (R-OH) publicly mocked an unnamed fellow senator during a press conference on Capitol Hill. The incident has ignited a cultural firestorm, prompting online observers to declare: *”Here come the Karens!”
The Setup: Vance’s Classic Ohio Smirk
Senator JD Vance, known for his blunt populist style and unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump, made headlines this week after mocking what he called “a senator whose name nobody remembers but whose opinions somehow end up in every New York Times op-ed column.”
“It’s always the same story. A guy no one voted for outside his district tells us how America should be run,” Vance said with a grin.
The senator’s quip, delivered with his trademark deadpan sarcasm, immediately triggered backlash in liberal strongholds.
Enter: LA Mayor Karen Bass
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass held an emergency press briefing, ostensibly about drought preparedness, but quickly veered off-script.
“What Senator Vance did was not just inappropriate—it was misogynistic, classist, and yes, racist in undertone,” Bass declared. “We cannot allow this kind of behavior from anyone, let alone an elected official.”
The statement left many puzzled, as Vance never mentioned gender or race in his remarks. Still, Bass doubled down, suggesting that Vance’s comment reflects a broader Republican strategy to “undermine institutions through mockery and chaos.”
Cultural Blowback: The Karen Label Reignited
Social media users had a field day.
“She pulled a full Karen,” one viral tweet read, accompanied by a clip of Bass wagging her finger at reporters.
Memes exploded across the web, many featuring Bass photoshopped into the classic “Karen” haircut, demanding to “speak to the Capitol manager.”
Conservative influencers seized on the moment. Commentator Allie Beth Stuckey tweeted, “The mayor of the second-largest city in America is melting down over JD Vance cracking a joke. This is who runs blue cities.”
Even some moderates found Bass’s reaction disproportionate.
“You’d think Vance committed an ethics violation. Instead, he just made a joke at a senator nobody can name,” quipped independent columnist Bari Weiss.
A Broader Political Moment
The flare-up between JD Vance and LA Mayor Karen Bass is more than a one-off dustup. It symbolizes the deepening chasm between blue-state leadership and rising populist voices in red-state America. Vance’s trolling wasn’t just rhetorical; it was strategic. His message: the cultural gatekeepers don’t get to define seriousness anymore.
“JD is reminding people that the elites don’t own the language or the rules,” said GOP strategist Andy Surabian.
Meanwhile, Bass is being praised by progressive commentators for “fighting back against incivility,” with MSNBC calling her remarks “courageous.”
Conclusion? There Isn’t One Yet
The spat underscores America’s ongoing divide, not just over policy, but over tone, humor, and who gets to frame political discourse. For now, JD Vance isn’t apologizing. And Mayor Bass is trending for all the wrong reasons.