Inside JD Vance's Major Weight Loss Transformation

With the number of celebrities speaking out about using weight-loss drugs increasing each year, it's no surprise that virtually every famous person who's undergone a major body transformation in the past decade or so has been unable to escape rumors that they shed the pounds with the help of Ozempic or other medications with similar effects. Some well-known personalities, such as Whoopi Goldberg and Elon Musk, have been open about using such medications to achieve a drastic weight loss transformation, further boosting their popularity (or in Musk's case, infamy).

But it's not just Hollywood stars and controversial billionaires who find themselves on the receiving end of Ozempic gossip; politicians such as JD Vance are no exception. The vice president looked noticeably slimmer on the campaign trail in 2024 than he did two years prior, which resulted in the birth of another wild rumor about Vance following the crazy eyeliner theories. Former Rep. George Santos was among those who suggested he had some help, writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, in October 2024, "Can anyone confirm Vance is on Ozempic? He's looking thin and good!"

However, Vance firmly shut down the growing speculation that his impressive 30-pound weight loss was due to medication and instead attributed it to simply adopting a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle since being elected as an Ohio senator in 2022. "Obviously, you eat a little bit less, but it's also just eating better," Vance told the Daily Mail in August 2024. "I tend to skip breakfast, whereas before I would have, like, you know, three waffles and scrambled eggs and bacon." In addition to changing his eating habits, Vance also regularly works out in the gym and goes running too.

For JD Vance, his demanding roles as a senator, which thrust him into the public eye, and dad of three were the major motivators in his weight-loss journey. The VP explained to the Daily Mail that he wanted to be fit enough to play and keep up with his children, the eldest of whom turned 7 in 2024, with his wife Usha Vance. Impressively, the bestselling author's noticeably slimmer look reportedly was even praised by his boss Donald Trump, who has had to fend off Ozempic rumors himself. In January 2024, the fast-food-loving president-elect revealed to Fox News that he'd lost around 15 to 20 pounds since launching his third consecutive bid for the White House in late 2022. Despite their complicated relationship, Trump had a similar answer to JD's when asked about his weight-loss secrets. 

Much like his left-field vice president, Trump claimed that he didn't take weight-loss drugs but rather dropped a significant number of pounds "the hard way." He suggested that skipping meals was the main reason behind his transformation, and it apparently wasn't limited to breakfast. "I work," the former "Apprentice" host proudly proclaimed. "I've been so busy I haven't been able to eat very much. I'm not able to sit down and eat like a person like you — you can sit down and eat. Me, it's a little bit tougher." It's unclear if Trump also exercises beyond playing golf, but it's worth noting that his physician posited in late 2023 that the president-elect had "reduced his weight through an improved diet and continued daily physical activity, while maintaining a rigorous schedule," (via Truth Social).