Vance pauses North Carolina speech for boy who skipped school to ask for selfie
Moment during a law-and-order address underscores emphasis on public safety
Vice President JD Vance paused his North Carolina speech on Wednesday to invite a young supporter to the stage after a brief Q&A, a moment captured by attendees and later circulated online. The boy, Henry, approached the mic and said he had skipped school to ask for a selfie, wearing a red Trump hat and an American flag T-shirt at Concord Padgett Regional Airport in Concord, North Carolina.
Vance welcomed Henry to the stage with a smile, posed for a quick selfie, and returned to the microphone as the room erupted in cheers. He joked that public life sometimes requires making exceptions for moments like this, and suggested that he might as well take the photo since Henry had asked for one. The moment interrupted the thread of policy talk for a beat, before Vance resumed his remarks on crime, policing and public safety.
The remainder of Vance's remarks centered on law and order and a strong stance in support of police. He called for keeping violent offenders behind bars and praised local officers for their work, arguing that public safety must be a core priority in any crime-prevention approach. After the selfie moment, he circled back to Henry at the end of the set, asking whether the photo satisfied the youngster's request and receiving another round of applause from the audience.
The White House's Rapid Response account shared the moment on X, where it drew more than 15,000 likes. White House officials and the Office of the Vice President did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Observers described the moment as a brief, humanizing interlude during a policy-focused address, illustrating how candidates weave personal interactions into a broader message about public safety and policing. The appearance in Concord highlighted Vance's emphasis on crime-fighting themes as he speaks to voters in North Carolina and beyond, framing the issue as central to his political agenda.
The event took place at Concord Padgett Regional Airport, and the exchange with Henry occurred amid Vance's broader effort to present himself as a strong law-and-order voice in a crowded political landscape. While the incident attracted social media attention, officials maintained that the speech would continue with a focus on policy details after the moment and that the commentary would be aimed at a wide audience of supporters and undecided voters alike.