The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, had a notable moment this Thursday during his speech at the Republican Party's midterm convention, held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, when a protester interrupted his address waving a Mexican flag.
Vance responded to the man from the stage with a straightforward remark: "Well, my friend. If you love Mexico so much, move your butt over there. I'll buy you a plane ticket."
The protester, who was waving the tricolor flag in one of the aisles of the venue, was immediately removed by security personnel as the audience reacted with boos.
Rather than ignoring the incident, the vice president incorporated it into his speech and described the flag as a "symbol of the extreme left," adding that the man should have displayed the American flag instead.
The incident occurred during the first convention held by the Republican Party aimed at mobilizing voters ahead of November 2026, when the party seeks to maintain its majorities in Congress.
In his speech, Vance framed the elections as a battle to preserve the "birthright" of Americans and accused the Democrats of allowing the country to be "stolen" and handed over to foreigners.
He also linked irregular immigration with the loss of jobs and housing for American citizens, and invoked Charlie Kirk to call for unity within the party, even among those who do not share all of his positions.
The episode occurred during a moment of diplomatic tension between Washington and Mexico City. That same day, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to criticisms from Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding her government's anti-narcotics strategy, demanding that the United States not use Mexico "in its electoral campaign."
The Dallas convention took place over two days and was concluded with a speech by President Donald Trump, who promised voters that $5,000 will be given to every adult American if the Republican Party maintains control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections on November 3.
Trump's approval rating had dropped to a historic low of 33% just days before the event, increasing pressure on the party to energize its voter base.
Vance's performance in Dallas can also be seen as a positioning for a possible presidential candidacy in 2028, in what some describe as an "audition" before the Republican base.
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