JD Vance Thought Trump Launched a Nuclear Str*ke—Then Came the Diet Coke

A Tense Moment Turns Hilarious

JD Vance recently shared a moment with Donald Trump that nearly gave him a heart attack—until it ended in laughter. During a televised hometown speech at a Republican dinner in Ohio, the Vice President recalled an unforgettable encounter in the Oval Office.

The story came shortly after Trump made headlines by dropping a NSFW word while speaking to reporters about the Middle East conflict on June 24.

“This Isn’t Going Very Well…”

Vance and Trump were on a call with a foreign leader when Trump hit the mute button. Turning to Vance, Trump said, “This isn’t going very well,” then pressed a red button on the Resolute Desk.

“My eyes got really big,” Vance recalled. “I said, ‘Mr. President, what just happened?’ He looked at me and said: ‘Nuclear.’”

A Sudden Twist

Two minutes later, a staffer entered the room—not with world-ending news, but with a Diet Coke. Trump smirked and told Vance, “It wasn’t nuclear. It was a Diet Coke button.”

The audience erupted in laughter. And so did the internet.

Internet Reacts

The clip quickly went viral on Instagram. One viewer commented, “Trump’s sense of humor is unmatched.” Another added, “If you don’t use the red button prank, what are you even doing in that Oval Office?”

A third remarked, “Has to be pretty entertaining to work with this president!”

The Mystery of the Oval Office Red Button

A Long-Standing Tradition

The red button sits on the iconic Resolute Desk, a fixture in the White House since Queen Victoria gifted it to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880.

Over the years, presidents have repurposed the button for different tasks. It’s housed in a polished wooden box with a golden seal.

From Tea to Coke—and Even Ice Cream

Between 2017 and 2021, Trump used the button to summon his favorite drink—Diet Coke—at any time of day. When he returned to office earlier this year, he brought the button back.

Before him, President Barack Obama reportedly used it to order tea for guests. In the 1960s, Lyndon B. Johnson had four buttons: one each for coffee, tea, Coca-Cola, and Fresca.

After Joe Biden took office in 2021, he removed the button. But later, he reinstalled it—without saying what it was for. TV host James Corden later joked that Biden used it to request ice cream.

What Would You Use the Red Button For?

Trump’s prank left JD Vance—and the rest of us—wondering: If you had a red button in the Oval Office, what would you use it for?

Let us know in the comments.