In a moment that reminded everyone why Vice President J.D. Vance is quickly becoming the GOP’s political battering ram, he unloaded this week on a journalist who accused one of his staffers, Buckley Carlson, son of Tucker Carlson, of being part of some kind of family “trait” of racism and antisemitism.
Yes, you read that correctly, a journalist attacked a 20-something staffer because of his last name and because she wanted to hold him accountable for what she says is his “family history.” Naturally, Vance wasn’t having it.
The Attack That Sparked It All
The journalist’s piece aimed at Buckley Carlson dragged in distant family controversies and insinuated that he must share the same alleged beliefs. No policy issue, no scandal, no wrongdoing, just a personal broadside built on the foundation of guilt by genealogy.
Tucker Carlson has been a lightning rod for nearly a decade, but targeting his kid, a staffer whose biggest crime was showing up to work, was a new level of absurdity even for political media.
Vance Responds With Both Barrels
Vance’s response was instant, blunt, and vintage Vance:
“Every time I see a public attack on Buckley it’s a complete lie… I have zero tolerance for scumbags attacking my staff.”
He also made a point journalists conveniently ignore: Buckley was hired because he’s smart, competent, and loyal, not because of who his dad is. Former boss Rep. Jim Banks chimed in immediately, backing up Vance’s assessment and praising Carlson’s work ethic.
In other words: Buckley has a résumé. The journalist had a narrative.
Tucker Carlson Is in the Middle Again
It’s no secret that anything bearing the Carlson name triggers certain corners of the media like a fire alarm. Tucker has become the left’s all-purpose villain, mostly because he refuses to go away, refuses to play nice, and refuses to apologize for opinions people in newsrooms don’t like.
So when they couldn’t land a clean hit on Tucker himself this week, the journalist took the scenic route, straight through his kid.
Why This Episode Actually Matters
This wasn’t just drama on X or some random media slap-fight. It revealed a playbook that’s become depressingly familiar:
- If you can’t defeat the argument, attack the family.
- If you can’t smear the candidate, smear the intern.
- If you can’t hurt Tucker, hurt someone with the last name Carlson.
It also showcased exactly why Vance is resonating with a growing chunk of voters who are tired of the D.C. theater troupe.
While other politicians might release a 400-word “statement” about civility and tone, Vance just said what everyone was thinking: Attacking a staffer because of their surname is gross.
The 2028 Layer You Shouldn’t Ignore
Episodes like this are part of why Vance is now the leading prediction-market favorite to win the 2028 presidential election.
Voters, even those not glued to Tucker Carlson on X, see a VP who actually defends his people, calls out nonsense immediately, and doesn’t hide behind committees and consultants.
That attitude plays nationally in a way D.C. still doesn’t understand.
Leave The Kids Alone
Whether you like Tucker Carlson or not, his son didn’t deserve to be thrown into the media woodchipper as a stand-in for other people’s political feuds. And J.D. Vance, in characteristic fashion, shoved back harder than he was shoved.
If this is the preview of the 2026–2028 political climate, buckle up. The Carlson-Vance axis isn’t retreating, and the press appears more determined than ever to make everything personal.
AntlersArch founder and the voice behind Teton Tattle.
