US Vice President JD Vance drew attention after completing a gruelling 90-minute intense physical training session with United States Navy SEALs at their Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California, fuelling discussion about the symbolism of senior political leaders publicly embracing military fitness — and the political messaging behind it.
On microblogging platform X, JD Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, shared images and reflections from the workout on 22 December, showing him carrying heavy logs and climbing nets alongside elite special forces personnel.
JD Vance's US Navy SEALs training session involved classic SEAL conditioning drills — running on sand, rope and net climbing, and log-carrying exercises — all compressed into a single 90-minute intense workout on the beaches of Coronado.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, the US vice president wrote: “Just finished PT with the Navy SEALs for 90 minutes (I'll post some photos when I get them). They took it easy on me and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train.”
He added: “So grateful to all of our warriors who keep us safe and keep the highest standards anywhere in the world!”
In a separate post earlier that day, JD Vance also said: “I just finished the training” and “Even though the special forces members went easy on me, my entire body aches as if I were hit by a freight train.”
Established in 1962, the SEALs are among the most recognisable US special operations forces, featuring prominently in popular culture and modern military history. They played key roles in the Iraq War, operations against Islamic State, and the mission that killed Osama bin Laden.
Analysts estimate that it costs roughly $2 million to train a single SEAL, portraying the scale and intensity of the 62-week programme.
US Vice President and husband of Usha Vance, JD Vance enlisted in the US Marine Corps after high school and served from 2003 to 2007, deploying to Iraq in 2005. He has frequently described his time in uniform as formative, particularly in shaping his “America First” views on foreign policy.
Since the return of the Donald Trump administration, senior officials have increasingly been seen engaging directly with troops, a practice framed by allies as “respecting soldiers”.
Pete Hegseth, the Defence Secretary, has repeatedly trained with service members. In February, during a trip to Germany, Pete Hegseth joined the 10th Special Forces Group for weightlifting and running at their barracks.
Health and Welfare Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now 71, has also gained attention for public displays of physical fitness. In August last year, he reportedly completed a “health challenge” of 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups at the Pentagon gym while wearing jeans.
These displays align with the administration’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) push, which links physical fitness with national strength and readiness.
JD Vance has openly praised Pete Hegseth for seeking to enforce “very high standards” within the armed forces. Notably, he was the only participant pictured with a beard during the Coronado training.
Addressing the issue earlier this year, Vance remarked: “When I was a young United States Marine, I did not have a beard. I am now the vice president. So I get to do what I want to do.”