Hundreds Came Looking for Him… But He Was Already Slipping Into Somewhere More Private!

Vice President JD Vance was forced to cut short a family vacation and move to an undisclosed location after a massive protest erupted at the ski resort where they were staying. The demonstration, fueled by tensions over U.S. policy on Ukraine, saw hundreds of activists flood the area, branding Vance a “traitor” and demanding he “go ski in Russia.”

The uproar took place at Sugarbush Resort in Waitsfield, Vermont, where Vance and his family had planned a four-day stay. However, the intensity of the protests left them with little choice but to leave early.

Signs carried by demonstrators accused Vance of betraying American values, while others directly called him a “national disgrace.” Some activists even stationed themselves near ski lifts in hopes of confronting the vice president on the slopes. One particularly pointed sign read: “Have you no shame? Support Ukraine.”

Not everyone in Vermont was protesting against Vance. Counter-protesters also made their presence known, waving “Make America Great Again” flags from pickup trucks and engaging in shouting matches with the anti-Vance crowd outside the resort.

The protests were initially planned to oppose the Trump administration’s domestic policies, particularly concerns over cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, and environmental programs. But the backlash intensified after Vance’s high-profile Oval Office confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

During that heated exchange, Vance criticized Zelensky for not showing gratitude for U.S. aid, bluntly telling him: “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.” He went further, calling out Ukraine’s manpower shortages, saying, “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

That moment, broadcast internationally, became a flashpoint, leading activists to take their anger directly to Vance during his personal trip. Protest organizer Ginny Sassaman, speaking to VT Digger, explained that many Vermonters feared losing essential services under the administration’s policies.

“Some of us are scared about losing Social Security or Medicaid or parks or having measles epidemics or climate change,” Sassaman said.

The demonstration also included LGBTQ+ activists, concerned about the administration’s policies. Organizer Katayoun Lam spoke out about the broader fears in their community:

“As a trans person and as a person of color, I’m extremely concerned about the new policies about trans people. I’m concerned about the ICE raids. I have friends who are trans. I have friends who are immigrants who’ve been reaching out to me and saying ‘we’re scared.’”

Republican Vermont Governor Phil Scott had urged protesters to remain civil ahead of Vance’s visit. In a statement before the protests, he said, “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. Please join me in welcoming them to Vermont, and hoping they have an opportunity to experience what makes our state, and Vermonters, so special.”

Despite this appeal, tensions reached a boiling point, ultimately forcing Vance and his family to abandon their trip. The vice president’s security team swiftly relocated them to an undisclosed location, prioritizing safety as the situation escalated.

The protests mark yet another instance of how deep divisions over Ukraine, domestic policy, and the Trump administration’s direction continue to spill into the public sphere. With emotions running high, it remains to be seen how the administration will navigate these growing waves of opposition.