VP Harris Mocked for Flubbing Pledge of Allegiance, Sparking Social Media Backlash

Vice President Kamala Harris became the target of widespread criticism on social media after stumbling over the opening line of the Pledge of Allegiance during a ceremony in the U.S. Senate on Friday.

The incident occurred before Harris swore in senators for the 119th Congress, where she attempted to lead the pledge but momentarily mixed up the iconic opening words, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America."

As Harris began reciting the pledge, she could be heard over the microphone saying, "I pledge allegiance to the United States," before trailing off and appearing to catch herself. She then rejoined the others to complete the line, saying, "...the United States of America."

Despite the correction, the moment quickly went viral on social media, with many users mocking her for the misstep.

Clay Travis of Outkick.com highlighted the moment by posting, "Kamala Harris just screwed up the pledge."

The criticism escalated as other prominent voices joined in. Johnny Maga, a pro-Trump account, called it a significant embarrassment, writing, "HOLY SMOKES. Kamala just screwed up the pledge of allegiance on the Senate floor. What an embarrassment to this country."

He added, "Tens of millions of Democrats voted for this woman to be president just weeks ago."

Conservative commentator Mike Engleman added to the discourse with a mocking post that read, "Kamala Harris made word salad with the Pledge of Allegiance, lol," referencing Harris's history of occasional rhetorical missteps during her tenure as vice president.

Collin Rugg, owner of Trending Politics, also commented on the incident, stating, "JUST IN: Kamala Harris appears to forget the Pledge of Allegiance during the swearing-in ceremony for new senators. This woman is a heartbeat away from being the president."

The backlash continued with comedian and conservative commentator Terrence K. Williams criticizing Harris for the flub. "Kamala Harris doesn't know the Pledge of Allegiance.

This woman really wanted to be President! It’s actually embarrassing that the Vice President doesn’t know the Pledge of Allegiance," Williams wrote.

Adding to the chorus of disapproval, Libs of TikTok, a popular conservative account, chimed in with, "OMG. Kamala just messed up saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank God Trump won."

The comment underscored the sentiment of many conservative critics who used the moment to question Harris’s competence and fitness for office.

Harris’s stumble was quickly amplified across platforms, with users debating whether it was a simple mistake or indicative of larger issues.

Critics argued that as vice president, Harris should be flawless in performing ceremonial duties like leading the Pledge of Allegiance, while others defended her, claiming the incident was overblown and an example of political opponents seizing on minor errors for political gain.

This isn’t the first time Harris has faced scrutiny for her public speaking. Over the course of her vice presidency, she has been criticized for occasional verbal gaffes that have drawn widespread attention, often labeled as "word salad" by her detractors.

These moments have provided ample fodder for critics, particularly in conservative media circles, to challenge her credibility and effectiveness as a leader.

Supporters of Harris, however, were quick to dismiss the backlash as disproportionate. Many pointed out that the pledge misstep, while unfortunate, is hardly unprecedented among public figures and argued that the fixation on the incident reflects a deeper bias against her as a female and minority leader in one of the highest offices in the nation.

Despite the defense from some quarters, the incident underscores the intense scrutiny Harris faces as vice president and as a potential presidential contender in the future.

As the second-highest-ranking official in the U.S., any public misstep—no matter how minor—tends to be magnified and politicized, particularly in a polarized political climate.

For now, Harris has yet to publicly address the incident, leaving the social media uproar largely unanswered.

Whether the moment becomes a lasting issue or fades into the background remains to be seen, but it’s clear that even the smallest of errors can quickly escalate into political controversies in today’s digital age.