Vice President JD Vance touched down in Azerbaijan Tuesday evening for high-stakes diplomatic meetings with President Ilham Aliyev — but not before his communications team had some explaining to do about a quickly-deleted social media post that threatened to throw a wrench into the delicate visit.
The Deleted Tweet
Earlier in the day, while Vance was still in Armenia, the official @VP account on X posted that the Vice President and Second Lady Usha Vance had laid a wreath "at the Armenian Genocide memorial to honor the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide." The post was swiftly deleted — and for good reason.
Azerbaijan, where Vance was headed next, has historically sided with its ally Turkey in disputing the characterization of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as "genocide." Acknowledging it publicly, right before landing in Baku, would be a diplomatic grenade.
A VP spokesperson told the pool the tweet "was posted in error by staff who are not part of the delegation," characterizing the @VP account as one that "primarily exists to share photos and videos." For the Vice President's actual views? The spokesperson pointed reporters to whatever Vance said on the tarmac in Armenia — remarks that weren't included in the pool report.
Classic damage control, folks.
America First Diplomacy in Action
Despite the social media snafu, Vance received a warm welcome at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The Second Family — including daughter Mirabel, who held her father's hand descending the Air Force Two stairs — was greeted with a green carpet, bouquets of flowers, and a lineup of Azerbaijani officials including Deputy Prime Minister Samir Sharifov.
The visit underscores the Trump-Vance administration's commitment to engaging strategically in the South Caucasus, a region where American influence has waned in recent years while Russia and Iran have jockeyed for position. Unlike the previous administration, which often lectured allies and alienated potential partners with moralizing foreign policy, Trump's team understands that diplomacy sometimes requires a deft touch — and yes, occasionally deleting a tweet.
What's at Stake
Vance is expected to hold an expanded bilateral meeting with President Aliyev, with remarks to the press anticipated. Azerbaijan is a critical energy player, and with the Trump administration's "Drill, Baby, Drill" agenda in full swing, strengthening ties with energy-producing nations outside of OPEC's grip makes strategic sense.
The question now: Will the legacy media focus on the substance of these important meetings, or will they obsess over a deleted tweet to paint the administration as incompetent? We all know the answer.
Stay tuned, Patriots. This trip is just getting started.