ESPN analyst Sarah Spain faces intense backlash after describing U.S. Vice President JD Vance as a ‘demon’ and ‘the Devil’ during her coverage of the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Spain’s Podcast Remarks Spark Outrage
Spain shared her reaction on her podcast ‘Good Game with Sarah Spain’ while covering the women’s hockey game between the United States and Czechia on February 5. Twelve minutes into the first period, she noticed an influx of security personnel.
‘Here comes JD Vance carrying a child and a bunch of security, and eventually Marco Rubio,’ Spain recounted. ‘When I see JD Vance’s eyeliner face, I literally feel ill. I feel like I just looked at a demon, like the Devil. And I don’t even believe in that, but my body felt like when you’ve been spooked.’
At a subsequent U.S.-Canada women’s hockey match, Spain spotted Vance again, this time with boxer Jake Paul. ‘He brought a little demon friend, Jake Paul. Talk about only the finest people representing America,’ she stated. She also expressed frustration over the Secret Service detail blocking the view of the ice and Italian press members standing to stare after goals.
Social Media Erupts in Criticism
Social media users quickly condemned Spain’s words, with many demanding her dismissal from ESPN. One user wrote, ‘ESPN should fire Sarah Spain for posting pictures of VP Vance’s kids. ESPN will likely do nothing.’
Another commented, ‘Sarah Spain, and her ilk, are a huge reason why ESPN has tanked.’ Conservative commentator Clay Travis, founder of Outkick, remarked, ‘This is not how a mentally healthy or sane person responds to seeing someone they disagree with politically with their kids at a sporting event.’
Additional reactions included, ‘The fact that this wannabe tough chick has a gig anywhere on ESPN is symbolic of how far that network has fallen,’ and ‘I can’t imagine being such a vile and hateful person and still be able to function, Sarah Spain. What is WRONG with you??’
Underlying Tensions Over Deportation Policy
Spain’s criticism ties into Vance’s response to the January 24 fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Vance reposted a statement from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller labeling Pretti an ‘assassin’ who ‘tried to murder federal agents.’
Spain accused Vance of ‘slandering a dead man who was shot in the back while helping a woman and was not fighting and was not dangerous.’
In a recent interview, Vance declined to apologize for endorsing Miller’s post. ‘For what?’ he responded when asked about Pretti’s family. ‘If something is determined that the guy who shot Alex Pretti did something bad, then a lot of consequences are going to flow from that. We’ll let that happen. I don’t think it’s smart to prejudge the investigation.’
Spain’s ESPN Career
The 45-year-old Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning journalist has worked with ESPN since 2010, appearing on shows like ‘First Take,’ ‘Around the Horn,’ ‘Olbermann,’ ‘Mike & Mike,’ and ‘The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.’ She launched ‘Good Game with Sarah Spain,’ the first daily women’s sports podcast, in July 2024, which earned a nomination for Best Sports Podcast at the 2025 Ambies Awards.
