Sarah Matthews calls JD Vance ‘negative rizz’

A former top Trump aide has mocked Vice President JD Vance for lacking the same “rizz” as President Donald Trump, after Vance publicly shamed a conservative commentator in an online post that escalated an internal right-wing feud.

Sarah Matthews, who served as Trump’s deputy press secretary until 2021, made the remark on CNN’s “NewsNight” Friday night. She was reacting to a post on X in which Vance criticized conservative pundit Matt Walsh for criticizing Trump’s age during a discussion about the president’s fitness for office. The vice president’s jab at Walsh—seen by many as fat-shaming—quickly went viral, reigniting debates about civility and generational divides inside the Republican Party.

Matthews told host Erin Burnett that Vance’s tone showed a lack of the charisma that Trump uses to dominate political narratives. “JD Vance doesn’t have the same rizz. He doesn’t have the same likeability,” she said, using modern slang for charm or persuasive charm. The comment highlights growing tension between Trump loyalists and the next generation of GOP leaders trying to define the party’s identity ahead of the 2024 election. Polls show Trump still leads in key states, but some Republicans argue the party needs fresh faces to broaden its appeal beyond its base.

Trump has not publicly rebuked Vance, and the vice president has not apologized for the post. Analysts say the spat could reveal fractures in the campaign’s messaging, especially as Trump tries to unite conservatives while Vance pushes his populist-nationalist vision. If the infighting grows, it could weaken the party’s ability to counter Democratic attacks or sway undecided voters in tight races. The incident also raises questions about whether Vance’s style will resonate beyond Trump’s core supporters—or whether it risks alienating moderates the GOP needs to win in November.