Low turnout and heckling dominate JD Vance's Turning Point USA appearance

Low turnout and heckling dominate JD Vance's Turning Point USA appearance Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 04/15/2026 - 18:17 The vice president sparred with a heckler and defended Erika Kirk, who skipped the event, citing threats US Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet during an event at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia, on 14 April 2026 (Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP) Off US Vice President JD Vance's address at an event on Tuesday drew widespread ridicule after images of sparsely filled seating circulated, with critics saying voters were increasingly unwilling to support politicians they see as backers of Israel’s wars on Iran and Palestine . Vance was also heckled at the event by what should have been a supportive and friendly crowd. Posts shared across multiple platforms showed wide sections of empty seats at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event inside the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia, fuelling commentary that attendance was far lower than expected.