Vice President JD Vance faced intense public backlash during a weekend family visit to Disneyland, where he was confronted by protesters and heckled while accompanied by his three young children, ages three, five, and eight. The California trip has drawn widespread criticism from Democratic officials and social media users who defended the public confrontations involving Vance’s family.
Vance visited Disneyland with his wife Usha and their children over the weekend of July 12, where they encountered both cheers and boos from park attendees. Video footage captured the vice president walking through the theme park with an estimated 50 security personnel and Disney staff members surrounding his family as they exited attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The visit prompted large-scale protests outside the Grand Californian Hotel and along Disney Way, with dozens of demonstrators gathering to voice opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The protests occurred one day after massive ICE raids at marijuana farms in Ventura County resulted in the detention of approximately 200 people believed to be undocumented immigrants. One farmworker, 57-year-old Jaime Alanís Garcia, died after falling from a greenhouse roof during the raids.
Inside the theme park, Jane Fleming Kleeb, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, directly confronted Vance while he walked with his child. Kleeb repeatedly stated her support for immigrants and America, asking the vice president why he was visiting California, given his previous criticism of the state. The encounter was captured on video and shared widely on social media platforms.
The visit required extensive security measures that disrupted normal park operations. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel implemented heightened security protocols, restricting the front entrance to one lane and requiring all vehicles to undergo inspection by security dogs. Guests entering the hotel faced airport-style security screening, with bags put through scanners and larger luggage subject to hand searches. A temporary flight restriction was also filed over Anaheim during the visit.
California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized the vice president’s trip, reposting video of Vance at Disneyland with commentary referencing families affected by immigration enforcement. Newsom indicated that Vance was avoiding substantive policy debates while enjoying recreational activities at the theme park. The Governor’s office additionally noted that 35 percent of Anaheim’s residents are immigrants and suggested Disney’s operations depend on immigrant labor.
Social media users on the platform Bluesky defended the public confrontations involving Vance’s children, with several prominent figures arguing that the children should learn about public opposition to their father’s policies. Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery suggested that it would be better if Vance’s kids know what their father is about, referencing other children watching their parents face deportation. Former HuffPost reporter Michael Hobbes wrote, “This is gonna sound snarky but if your dad is a piece of s— it’s better to realize it sooner rather than later.”
University of Washington associate professor Sarah Tuttle expressed satisfaction upon learning about the public reception Vance received at the theme park. Author Elon Green argued that public booing represented the only way Vance’s children would learn about opposition to their father’s policies, suggesting they lack access to alternative viewpoints through other channels.
Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento told reporters that immigration raids are terrorizing residents, shuttering businesses, and creating widespread fear in communities. He indicated willingness to meet with Vance only if the vice president would discuss concerns about ongoing immigration enforcement operations, which Sarmiento characterized as constitutional abuses involving deportations without due process hearings.
The weekend visit was not entirely political, as Second Lady Usha Vance participated in educational activities at Camp Pendleton, reading to Blue Star children as part of her summer reading initiative. The vice president also spent time hiking with Marines at the military base near San Diego.
Protesters made clear their opposition to Vance’s presence in California, with one demonstrator telling reporters they wanted him to leave the state. The demonstrations reflected broader tensions over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies, which have particularly affected Southern California communities with large immigrant populations.
Vance responded to Governor Newsom’s criticism with a brief social media post thanking him for the well-wishes and indicating he had an enjoyable time, without addressing the substantive policy concerns raised about family separations resulting from immigration enforcement activities.
