Vice President JD Vance’s latest Halloween costume has brought an old controversy back into the spotlight.
On Saturday, Vance appeared as Albus Dumbledore, the Harry Potter wizard, wearing a long silver wig, flowing gray robes and a pointed hat in a video posted to X.
“Vice President Dumbledore here with little Dobby the Elf wishing you a Happy Halloween,” Vance said in the clip as he held his youngest son, who was dressed as the house elf.
“Have fun. Be safe. Eat a lot of candy.”
The costume quickly prompted online users to revisit a past Halloween controversy involving photos that allegedly showed Vance in drag during his time at Yale Law School.
The two images emerged online in August 2024, only months before Vance was elected vice president alongside President Trump. They appeared to show him wearing a blonde wig, dress and makeup.
The photos were reportedly taken at a 2012 Halloween party and went viral after podcast host Matt Bernstein posted them on X.
MORE ON THIS: Attacker's knife malfunctions as bishop wields cross for protection – NewsFinale
Travis Whitfill, a former Yale classmate who helped share the images, said they originated in a group chat involving former colleagues of Vance and had been taken by another student.
The resurfaced pictures also renewed scrutiny of Vance’s views on LGBTQ+ issues. Critics pointed to what they described as a sharp contrast between his college-era costume and his later conservative political positions.
As a senator, Vance introduced the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, a bill designed to criminalize the provision of gender-affirming care to minors.
He has also called opponents of so-called “Don’t Say Gay” laws “groomers” and voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which safeguards federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
More recently, Vance faced another wave of online mockery after making a remark about the sexuality of Democratic Texas Senate candidate Jame Talarico during an October campaign rally. Vance has previously insinuated that Talarico is gay.
When an audience member declared his love for him, Vance responded jokingly, “I love you too, sir.
“In a totally platonic way, to be clear. I’m the vice president, not James Talarico.”