MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle found herself the subject of mockery this week after attempting to fact-check a joke made by Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance.
The incident unfolded after Vance, while campaigning in Pennsylvania, made a lighthearted comment about the amount of food his young sons consume, particularly focusing on eggs. What should have been seen as hyperbole quickly turned into a viral misstep when Ruhle took the joke too seriously and attempted to fact-check it on social media.
During his campaign stop in Reading, Pennsylvania, Vance visited a local grocery store and spoke about the rising cost of groceries under the Biden-Harris administration. As he discussed inflation and its impact on American families, his two sons, Ewan and Vivek, distracted him by reaching for a carton of eggs. Vance seized the moment to make a humorous remark.
“You want some eggs? Let’s talk about eggs,” Vance said. “Because these guys actually eat about 14 eggs every single morning.”
At face value, the comment was an obvious exaggeration. Vance’s sons are just 4 and 6 years old, so it’s unlikely they eat anywhere near that number of eggs daily. Nonetheless, Ruhle decided to treat the comment as a serious statement and took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to post a “fact-check.”
“14 eggs per day. 98 eggs per week. 2 children consuming 8+ dozen eggs per week,” Ruhle wrote, attempting to calculate the egg consumption implied by Vance’s off-the-cuff comment.
However, rather than sparking a meaningful discussion about the cost of groceries or inflation, Ruhle’s tweet quickly backfired. The post went viral for all the wrong reasons as users on social media recognized that Vance was clearly making a joke, and many pointed out that Ruhle’s fact-checking seemed unnecessary and out of touch.
Ruhle’s failed fact-check came just days after her interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, an interview that many critics called out for its lack of hard-hitting questions and follow-ups. Throughout the interview, Harris dodged multiple questions, yet Ruhle did not challenge her responses or press her for clarification. This stark contrast between her approach to Harris and her hyper-literal response to Vance’s joke only fueled the ridicule she faced online.
Critics were quick to draw parallels, suggesting that Ruhle’s eagerness to fact-check a trivial comment from Vance stood in sharp contrast to her soft approach toward the vice president. Many questioned why Ruhle would focus on a lighthearted exaggeration while overlooking what they viewed as missed opportunities to hold Harris accountable during their interview.
Unsurprisingly, JD Vance himself joined in the fun, taking to X to mock Ruhle’s unnecessary scrutiny of his joke. In a tweet that gained significant traction, Vance wrote, “One time I said I was so tired I could sleep for days. Stephanie Ruhle: Vance, in fact, only slept for 8 hours.”
The senator’s playful response was quickly shared and liked by thousands, further amplifying the criticism directed at Ruhle. Other commentators and politicians jumped into the conversation, eager to poke fun at the MSNBC host’s attempt to fact-check hyperbole.
CNN commentator Scott Jennings sarcastically quipped, “Vance: ‘I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!’ Ruhle: ‘TONIGHT, we talk to PETA to get to the bottom of this Republican-led equine eating catastrophe.’” Jennings’ exaggerated response reflected the general sentiment that Ruhle’s fact-check was both unnecessary and overblown.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also weighed in, remarking that the incident demonstrated how “the mainstream media are some of the most pathetic people on the planet.” Tuberville’s comment underscored the ongoing divide between conservative figures and mainstream media outlets, particularly when it comes to what they see as bias or disproportionate scrutiny applied to Republican politicians.
Christopher Rufo, a prominent conservative activist, joined the conversation by forwarding Ruhle the definition of “hyperbole,” further highlighting that Vance’s comment should have been taken as an obvious exaggeration rather than a factual claim.
For many of Ruhle’s critics, this incident was emblematic of a larger issue. Several commentators pointed out that Ruhle, and other members of the mainstream media, often fail to apply consistent standards when reporting on politicians from different parties. Some pointed to Ruhle’s perceived lack of critical questions during her interview with Harris as an example of this inconsistency.
Others on social media urged Ruhle to investigate more absurd claims, humorously suggesting that she fact-check idioms like “it’s raining cats and dogs” or similar exaggerated expressions. These light-hearted jabs only added to the growing ridicule surrounding Ruhle’s post.
Despite the backlash, Ruhle has stood by her recent actions. Last week, she defended her interview with Harris, suggesting that her approach was appropriate for the occasion. Ruhle implied that Harris’ reluctance to answer certain questions wasn’t her fault, and she appeared to dismiss claims that she had been too lenient on the vice president.
Though Ruhle has not directly responded to the egg fact-check controversy, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about the role of the media in fact-checking politicians and whether there is a double standard in how different figures are treated.
What began as a lighthearted joke from JD Vance has turned into a viral moment highlighting media scrutiny, fact-checking, and journalistic consistency. As Ruhle’s attempt to fact-check an obvious exaggeration backfired, it underscored the importance of context and understanding in political discourse. Whether Ruhle intended her post to be serious or humorous, it sparked a conversation that extended far beyond eggs—and one that likely won’t disappear anytime soon.
