POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: JD Vance and Alleged Attempt to Avoid Swearing In Abdul El
The Claim In the wake of the 2026 midterm elections, a viral screenshot began circulating on platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, appearing to be a post from Vice President JD Vance. The...
The Claim
In the wake of the 2026 midterm elections, a viral screenshot began circulating on platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, appearing to be a post from Vice President JD Vance. The alleged post claimed that Vance stated: ‘I’m looking at every legal option to avoid being the one who swears Abdul El-Sayed into office. After the level of disrespect he’s shown me he cant seriously expect me to stand there and do him that honor.’
The claim gained significant traction immediately following Democratic Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed’s victory over Republican opponent Mike Rogers in Michigan. Users shared the image to suggest that the Vice President was attempting to bypass constitutional duties due to political animosity, sparking further tension regarding the transition of the next Congressional session.
The Details & Investigation
An investigation by the PolicyWire Editorial Desk confirms that the screenshot is a complete fabrication. A comprehensive search of Vice President Vance’s verified X account reveals no post matching the text in the viral image. The only post from Vance mentioning El-Sayed was dated October 27, prior to the election, and featured a video of a rally in Michigan with a caption stating, ‘Let’s send Abdul packing and tell him we do not want people who hate our country in the US Senate.’ This legitimate post bears no resemblance to the inflammatory claims circulating in November.
Technical analysis indicates the fake image originated from a Facebook page named ‘Idisobey,’ an entity with a documented history of disseminating fabricated social media posts and false claims. The page manager posted the screengrab on November 7 without any disclaimers or satirical labeling. Reverse image searches via Google and Tin Eye found no instances of the post existing prior to its viral spread; results only showed users sharing the fake content or debunking it as fraudulent.
Furthermore, the claim ignores the constitutional framework governing the Senate. Under the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 3), the Vice President serves as the President of the Senate and is specifically obligated to administer the oath of office to incoming senators when a new Congress convenes. This is a ministerial duty, not a discretionary favor. El-Sayed himself even acknowledged this legal reality during his victory speech, noting, ‘JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in, in January.’
Based on the evidence, this incident is classified as DISINFORMATION. This was not an accidental sharing of outdated news (misinformation), but the deliberate creation of a deceptive media asset by a known source of falsehoods to manipulate public perception of the Vice President’s actions and intent during a high-stakes election cycle.
The Verdict
The claim that JD Vance posted about seeking ‘legal options’ to avoid swearing in Abdul El-Sayed is FALSE. The image provided is a fabricated graphic created by a page known for spreading disinformation, and there is no record of Vance ever making such a statement on any platform.
The Vice President’s role in swearing in senators is a matter of constitutional mandate, and the viral post was a calculated attempt to sow political discord through non-existent social media activity.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).\em>
