‘NO RIZZ’: White House Pushes Back After Biden’s Former Press Secretary Mocks JD Vance’s Marriage

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House is firing back after former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki made controversial remarks about Sen. JD Vance’s marriage during a recent TV segment — a moment that quickly spiraled into an online storm.

The comment, which social media users branded as “petty” and “offensive,” came during Psaki’s appearance on MSNBC over the weekend, where she joked that Vance — the Republican vice-presidential nominee — had “no rizz,” a slang term referring to a lack of charm or romantic charisma.

But what she said next drew the real backlash.

“Honestly, I’m not sure how he convinced anyone to marry him,” Psaki quipped, rolling her eyes as the panel laughed.

Within hours, the clip spread across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok, with critics accusing Psaki of taking a cheap personal shot rather than engaging in political debate.

White House Quickly Distances Itself

By Monday morning, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates released a brief but pointed statement condemning the remarks:

“The President believes in decency — period. Families should be off-limits. We appreciate differences in policy, but not in personal attacks,” Bates said.

The statement — though measured — was widely interpreted as a rebuke of Psaki, who served as President Joe Biden’s first press secretary before joining MSNBC as a political commentator in 2022.

Sources inside the administration told Politico that senior aides were “not thrilled” by the comment, with one insider adding,

“It was unnecessary and distracted from real issues. The Vice President’s race isn’t about who has ‘rizz’ — it’s about leadership.”

Online Reaction: “This Isn’t It, Jen”

Reaction across social media has been swift and divided.
Supporters of Vance, along with several prominent conservatives, accused Psaki of hypocrisy — pointing out that she has often spoken about restoring civility to public discourse.

“So much for ‘when they go low, we go high,’” one user posted.
Another added, “Imagine if a Republican said this about a Democrat’s spouse — the outrage would be endless.”

Even some liberal commentators expressed discomfort.
Political strategist Simon Rosenberg posted,

“We can criticize policies, not marriages. We’re better than this.”

Meanwhile, memes about the “no rizz” comment flooded TikTok, turning Psaki’s offhand remark into one of the week’s biggest viral political moments — for all the wrong reasons.

JD Vance Responds Calmly

For his part, Sen. JD Vance appeared unbothered by the controversy.
When asked by a reporter in Columbus about Psaki’s comment, Vance smiled and responded:

“My wife’s an amazing woman. She married me because she has great taste — and maybe a soft spot for lost causes.”

The lighthearted response drew laughter from supporters and quickly went viral on social media, with even some critics acknowledging that Vance handled the moment with humor and grace.

Psaki Addresses Backlash

Late Tuesday evening, Psaki briefly addressed the uproar during her MSNBC program, clarifying that her comments were “a joke” and that she “didn’t mean any disrespect.”

“Look, it was a light moment taken way out of context,” Psaki said. “I’ve known JD for years — I disagree with him politically, but of course I wish him and his family the best.”

Despite the clarification, the moment reignited debate about the line between commentary and mockery in modern political media.

Analysts Weigh In: When Humor Crosses the Line

Media analysts say the controversy reflects the increasingly blurred boundaries between political analysis and entertainment.

“Cable news has become theater,” said Dr. Lydia Chen, professor of political communication at Georgetown University. “Everyone’s performing, and sometimes those performances cross into personal territory. Psaki’s remark wasn’t the end of the world — but it reinforces how tone matters, especially in an era when everything goes viral.”

With election season heating up and personalities like Vance playing major roles in shaping their party’s message, the incident highlights how every word — even a joke — can spark days of headlines.

A Teachable Moment for Both Sides

While Psaki’s defenders insist the uproar is being exaggerated, others argue that political figures on both sides should keep personal relationships out of the firing line.

As one MSNBC producer put it privately:

“We all talk about lowering the temperature, but the truth is, the hotter it gets, the more clicks everyone gets. And that’s the problem.”

For now, Psaki’s “no rizz” remark may fade from the news cycle soon — but it serves as another reminder that in the age of viral politics, humor can backfire faster than it lands.