JD Vance drops Ohio state’s Championship trophy during White House celebration, then explains gaffe in a bizarre post

US Vice President JD Vance fumbled The Ohio State University football team's national championship trophy during a celebration at the White House on Monday in a light-hearted mishap. The incident happened during a celebratory event honouring the Ohio State Buckeyes.

President Donald Trump hosted the Buckeyes after they won the College Football Playoff National Championship against the University of Notre Dame in January. As the team posed for photos with President Trump, Vance lifted the trophy for the cameras but the top came loose and tumbled to the ground, drawing gasps followed by nervous laughter from the crowd as the trophy’s base hit the pavement. Vance went on to hold the trophy separate from the base.

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Vance says 'I didn't want...'

The Buckeyes, who claimed the national title in January with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame, were being formally recognised for their achievement. As pictures and videos of Vance's fumble rocketed across the internet, the vice president tried to explain away the gaffe with self-deprecation. Vance, a graduate of Ohio State, joked about his fumble afterwards, saying on X, "I didn't want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy so I decided to break it."


During the celebration, Vance additionally recounted his joke about asking Trump if he could skip the final inaugural ball on Jan. 20 to attend the championship game in Atlanta. "The president said, 'No, but we'll have him at the White House,'" Vance said.

Trump recounted key moments from the team's season and shook hands with the players.

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Following remarks, the team captains presented Trump with a jersey with "TRUMP 47" written on the back as a band played Queen's "We Are the Champions."

Trump credited the Ohio State team with winning the 2024 college football championship despite "adversity," including the team's upset loss to unranked Michigan 13-10 at home in November.

Trump said he hesitated to mention OSU's fourth consecutive defeat to "the team up north - we won't talk about it."

Before fumbling the trophy, Vance also used part of his speech to mention the Buckeyes' biggest rival - singling out an audience member in a Michigan hat.

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"I don't know who let the guy over in the corner here, in a Michigan hat, into this celebration," Vance said. "But I'm about to tell the Secret Service, 'You've got a dangerous weapon, sir.'"

Ohio State now faces a period of transition with key players departing for the NFL Draft, including quarterback Will Howard, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins — a significant turnover on the offensive front. The White House visit offered the team one last moment of unity before turning the page on a championship season.

(With inputs from agencies)