JD Vance Says He Feels Like He ‘Got Hit by a Freight Train’ After Training with Navy Seals

Vice President JD Vance recently participated in a training session with U.S. Navy SEALs in California, completing a 90-minute workout that he later described as physically punishing despite the elite service members easing the pace.

New photographs show Vance training alongside a group of SEALs at a facility in Coronado, California.

The images depict the vice president carrying heavy logs, rowing in the ocean, running along the beach, and climbing a rope obstacle course as part of multiple stages of SEAL training.

Many of the SEALs’ faces were blurred in the photos to protect their identities, according to a source familiar with the visit.

Following the workout, Vance shared his reaction publicly on X.

“Just finished PT with the Navy SEALs for 90 minutes,” Vance wrote in a post Monday.

“They took it easy on me and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train.”

Just finished PT with the Navy SEALs for 90 minutes (I’ll post some photos when I get them). They took it easy on me and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train.

So grateful to all of our warriors who keep us safe and keep the highest standards anywhere in the world!

— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 22, 2025

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Vance also used the post to praise the nation’s special operations forces and the role they play in national defense.

He wrote that he is “so grateful to all of our warriors who keep us safe and keep the highest standards anywhere in the world.”

According to a source familiar with the visit, the vice president took part in several elements of SEAL physical training during his time at the Coronado facility.

Navy SEALs are widely regarded as among the U.S. military’s most elite special operations forces, known for demanding physical standards and high-risk missions that include counterterrorism, maritime operations, and special reconnaissance.

Vance’s participation in the training comes in the context of his own military background.

The vice president is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served during the Iraq War.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2003 and deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, where he worked in public affairs.

Vance has previously said his experience in uniform played a significant role in shaping his views on national security, the costs associated with war, and the responsibility political leaders carry when making decisions that place service members in harm’s way.

Those views have been referenced frequently in his public remarks since taking office.

The training session also aligns with broader messaging from officials in the Trump administration emphasizing physical readiness across the armed forces.

Administration officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining high fitness standards throughout the military, including among senior leadership.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly emphasized that U.S. troops must be “fit, not fat,” extending that expectation to the general and flag-officer level.

Hegseth has frequently highlighted physical readiness in speeches and interviews and has participated in workouts with service members during visits to military units around the world, according to prior public statements.

Vance’s workout with the SEALs comes as the administration continues to highlight military preparedness, discipline, and readiness as core priorities.

While the vice president’s visit was not tied to a formal policy announcement, the imagery and public remarks reinforced themes the administration has emphasized regarding the armed forces.

The photos from Coronado show Vance completing physically demanding exercises alongside active-duty SEALs, showing the intensity of the training environment.

Vice President Vance trains with @USNavy Seals at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado 📸 pic.twitter.com/AClJaxCdo0

— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) December 23, 2025

The vice president’s comments following the session reflected both the difficulty of the workout and his appreciation for the capabilities and professionalism of the service members he trained with.

The visit did not include public remarks beyond Vance’s social media post, and officials did not disclose additional details about the duration or specific structure of the training beyond the 90-minute workout referenced by the vice president.

The appearance with Navy SEALs adds to a series of high-profile engagements by administration officials with active-duty service members, reinforcing the administration’s focus on military readiness, strength, and the role of elite forces in national defense.