Padilla responds to Vance 'Jose' remark: 'He knows my name'

Source: The Hill

06/21/25 11:08 AM ET


Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) on Saturday criticized Vice President Vance for referring to him by the wrong name at a presser in Los Angeles the night before.

The vice president called California’s senior senator “Jose” and alleged his forcible removal from last week’s Department of Homeland Security press conference was due to a desire to create “theater” amid unrest in the city sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

“He knows my name. He knows my name,” Padilla said during a Saturday appearance on MSNBC. “Look, sadly, it’s just an indicator of how petty and unserious this administration is,” he continued. “He’s the vice president of the United States. You think he’d take the situation in Los Angeles more seriously.

Several Democrats came to Padilla defense after Vance’s Friday remarks. Many of them slammed the leader for misnaming Padilla, whom he served alongside in the senate prior to becoming vice president. Vance’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5361940-padilla-responds-to-vance-los-angeles-name-remarks/