Vance Trains With Navy SEALs
Vice President JD Vance spent part of his Monday training alongside America’s most elite warriors — an experience he later described as humbling, exhausting, and deeply meaningful.
Vance joined active-duty Navy SEALs for a rigorous physical training session at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, one of the nation’s premier special operations facilities. The workout reportedly lasted about 90 minutes and included beach runs, rope climbs, obstacle drills, boat operations, and carrying heavy logs across the sand.
A former U.S. Marine who served as a military journalist during the Iraq War, Vance shared several images from the session online. The photos showed the vice president running along the shoreline with service members, climbing training nets, and riding in a military boat. For security reasons, the faces of the SEALs were not shown.
“Just finished PT with the Navy SEALs,” Vance wrote. “They took it easy on me and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train. I’m grateful to our warriors who keep this country safe and maintain the highest standards anywhere in the world.”
The post quickly attracted attention across social media, drawing both praise and criticism. Supporters applauded the vice president for engaging directly with the men and women who serve on the front lines of national defense. Critics, however, accused him of staging a political appearance rather than focusing on domestic issues.
One Democratic political operative, Christopher Hale, claimed the visit amounted to unnecessary spending — a charge that Vance’s supporters dismissed as partisan rhetoric, noting the vice president’s prior military service and longstanding advocacy for veterans and defense readiness.
The training session comes as military leadership places renewed emphasis on physical fitness, discipline, and combat readiness throughout the armed forces.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been outspoken about the need to restore strict physical standards across all branches of the military. In recent remarks, Hegseth said the Pentagon can no longer tolerate declining fitness levels among senior officers or rank-and-file troops.
Speaking before a large audience at Quantico, Hegseth announced that every service member — regardless of rank — will be required to pass regular physical fitness tests and meet height-and-weight standards twice a year.
Supporters say the renewed focus reflects a broader effort to strengthen national security, restore accountability, and ensure America’s military remains the most capable fighting force in the world.
