Vice President JD Vance fumbled The Ohio State University football team’s national championship trophy during a celebration at the White House on Monday.
President Donald Trump hosted the Buckeyes after they won the College Football Playoff National Championship against the University of Notre Dame in January.
Running back TreVeyon Henderson and Vice President JD Vance bobble the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy as President Donald Trump welcomes the 2025 College Football National Champions, the Ohio State University football team to the White House, April 14, 2025, in Washington.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
When Vance went to pick up the football-shaped trophy off a table at the end of the event, the 24-karat gold, bronze and stainless steel trophy nearly toppled over behind him before two players caught it. The base dropped to the ground to gasps from the crowd.
Vance went on to hold the trophy separate from the base.
Though the Pentagram-designed piece appeared to break, the trophy and base are two separate pieces so that the 26.5 inch-tall, 35-pound trophy can be hoisted in the air. The 12-inch-tall base weighs about 30 pounds.
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.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance stand with Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day as he welcomes the 2025 College Football National Champions from Ohio State University to the White House, April 14, 2025 in Washington.
