Crowds of demonstrators protested Vice President JD Vance on Saturday near a Vermont ski resort where he had planned to spend a weekend vacation with his family. The protests came in the wake of a heated exchange the previous day in the Oval Office involving Vance, President Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Many of the hundreds of protesters held signs supporting Ukraine, while others featured Palestinian flags or messages advocating for immigrant rights. Protesters gathered at various locations, including along Route 100 in Waitsfield.
The demonstrations, which had been organized in advance, gained momentum following Friday’s confrontational dialogue between Vance and Zelenskyy, during which Vance criticized the Ukrainian leader for disputing Trump’s claims about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trustworthiness.
“Ski Russia because JD Vance has no friends in Vermont, but he’s got lots of friends in Russia, so he should go there for vacation,” stated Tekla Van Hoven from Waterbury in an interview with WCAX-TV.
Despite the protests, Vance and his family arrived in Vermont intending to ski at Sugarbush Resort in Warren. A small group of protesters were also present at the resort on Saturday.
“There were a handful of protestors at the resort throughout the day, but all were peaceful and none were disruptive,” resort spokesman John Bleh noted in an email on Sunday, adding that he could not comment further and directed inquiries to the White House.
Messages seeking comments from White House officials Sunday were not immediately returned.
Republican Governor Phil Scott issued a statement welcoming Vance and his family to Vermont, urging residents to extend the same courtesy despite any political differences. “I hope Vermonters remember the vice president is here on a family trip with his young children, and while we may not always agree, we should be respectful,” the statement read.
A smaller group of supporters for Vance and Trump also gathered, holding a “welcome rally” during the protests.
Credit: Hindustan Times
