Vice President JD Vance Drops College Football Championship Trophy at White House
On April 14, 2025, Vice President JD Vance concluded the visit of the Ohio State University (OSU) football team to the White House in a rather unexpected manner. As he attempted to lift the national championship trophy, Vance inadvertently fumbled it during the ceremony. This incident unfolded after enthusiastic speeches from President Donald Trump, OSU Head Coach Ryan Day, and Vice President Vance himself on the South Lawn of the White House.
The celebration marked the recognition of Ohio State’s triumph in the college football championship, where they defeated Notre Dame with a score of 34-23. However, in a moment that caught everyone by surprise, Vance did not realize that the trophy’s golden top was designed to detach from its black base.
As he struggled to hoist the trophy, both pieces slipped from his grip. OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was positioned behind Vance, managed to catch the football-shaped top just in time, but the base fell to the ground, rolling away.
Witnesses, including some of the musicians from the United States Marine Corps Band, expressed their surprise and amusement as the scene unfolded, competing with the band’s performance of “We Are the Champions” to backdrop the commotion.
After a brief moment of embarrassment, Henderson and Coach Day assisted Vance in reassembling the trophy. Later in a light-hearted attempt to downplay the incident, Vance shared on social media: ‘I didn’t want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy, so I decided to break it.’
In his speech, Vance playfully acknowledged the Buckeyes’ long-standing rivalry with Michigan by jokingly singling out a Michigan fan in the audience, saying: ‘I don’t know who let the guy in the corner, with the Michigan cap, into this celebration, but I’m about to tell the Secret Service, ‘He has a dangerous weapon, sir.’
Despite the mishap, the ceremony remained a proud moment for the Ohio State community, encapsulating both the celebration of victory and the unpredictability of live events.
