US Vice President JD Vance.Image: keystone
January 23, 2026, 1:29 p.mJanuary 23, 2026, 1:29 p.m
In a speech, US Vice President JD Vance equated his country’s economy with, of all things, the sunken ship “Titanic”. Vance probably wanted to use the analogy to explain the current cost of living crisis in the USA.
But he was met with ridicule from some Democrats and on social media.
That’s what Vance said
“Democrats talk a lot about the affordability crisis in the United States of America. And yes, there is an affordability crisis caused by Joe Biden’s policies,” said Vance, initially alluding to the Democratic former president. Then came the key quote: “The Titanic cannot be turned around overnight. It takes time to repair what’s broken.”
The Titanic sank in April 1912.Image: keystone
The reactions
“You DO NOT turn the Titanic AT ALL,” wrote Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on X. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who like Pritzker belongs to the Democratic Party, posted a mocking meme.
You can see a sequence of Vance’s speech, with music from the famous “Titanic” film with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio playing in the background. The meme also shows what is probably the most famous scene in the film at the bow of the ship. But instead of Jack and Rose, Vance and US President Donald Trump hug each other.
The background
During his election campaign, Trump promised Americans a lower cost of living. But many complain about high prices in supermarkets, for example. Although Trump, as a former businessman, was considered to have competence in the field of economics, recent survey results show that popularity is dwindling here.
The Democrats are making the high costs for consumers in the USA an issue before the congressional elections in November. Trump accuses the Democrats of deliberately raising the issue.
The “Titanic” left Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912 for its maiden voyage to New York with more than 2,200 people on board. After a few days, the luxury liner, which was considered unsinkable, hit an iceberg – and sank. More than 1,500 people died. At the end of the 1990s, James Cameron filmed the story with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. (dab/sda/dpa)