Vice President J.D. Vance joins Navy SEAL-style training at Coronado, pushes through grueling 90-minute workout
Vice President J.D. Vance participated in a 90-minute Navy SEAL–style workout at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado on December 22, 2025, completing beach runs, rope and net climbs, heavy log carries and short ocean rowing segments alongside SEALs.
- Duration and drills: A 90-minute session emulating elements of Navy SEAL BUD/S training — beach runs, rope and net climbs, heavy log carries and ocean rowing.
- Public reaction and visuals: Photos and video released show Vance carrying logs, climbing nets, rowing and running on the beach alongside SEALs (video coverage; reporting).
- Vance’s comment: He posted on X that his body ached “as if hit by a freight train,” thanked “the heroes who keep us safe,” and said the SEALs “had gone easy on me.”
What happened at Coronado
Vice President J.D. Vance spent roughly an hour and a half moving through a series of intense drills that mirror elements of Navy SEAL BUD/S training. Video footage shows group runs along Coronado Beach, team log carries, rope and net climbs, and short ocean rowing segments with small craft. The clip includes moments of heavy breathing and encouraging shouts from SEALs and participants.
Publicly available clips run about a minute in the excerpts shared; for the released footage see the video and for contemporaneous coverage see the Chosun report.
SEAL-style session versus formal BUD/S training
Onlookers and reporters described the Coronado activity as a Navy SEAL-style event rather than formal BUD/S selection. BUD/S — the official Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL pipeline — is an extended, high-attrition program dating to 1962 and far longer and more demanding than a single 90-minute session.
Public reporting emphasized that Vance did not enter formal selection and that the Coronado exercise was a controlled, single-session workout that borrowed conditioning elements commonly used in SEAL preparation.
Vance’s military service and optics
Vance is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who enlisted in 2003 and deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in a public affairs role. That service record contributed to attention around his participation at Coronado, placing him among a smaller set of senior U.S. officials with combat-era service.
In his X post: Vance said the workout left his body aching “as if hit by a freight train,” thanked “the heroes who keep us safe,” and joked that the SEALs had gone easy on him.
Officials training with troops: a pattern
The Coronado workout fits a recent pattern of senior officials publicly training with U.S. troops. Examples include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joining the Army’s 10th Special Forces Group in Germany (February 2024) and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. performing pull-ups and push-ups at a Defense Department gym (2024). Observers frame such events both as demonstrations of solidarity and as potential photo opportunities with political value.
What the SEAL-style workout means
A Navy SEAL-style workout tests stamina, teamwork and mental toughness. True BUD/S is an extended program with daily physical and classroom elements; the Coronado session was a one-off, controlled exercise. Reports also note the significant resource investment required to train a SEAL over time, sometimes cited at roughly $2 million per SEAL across the full training pipeline.
Photos and video: what they show and what they don’t
Released images and clips show the Vice President performing demanding tasks and moving among active SEALs. They do not show extended time in formal SEAL selection or any change in Vance’s military status. The public excerpts are short and capture intense moments rather than a prolonged training cycle. See the public video and the related story.
Questions raised and avenues for verification
Investigative questions include: What was the purpose beyond a single workout? Who arranged the session, and were training protocols altered for a visiting civilian official serving as Vice President? Public reporting so far does not detail internal approvals or special accommodations. Base access policies and coordination among the Department of Defense, White House staff and base authorities commonly govern such visits.
No reporting reviewed by Times Media Service contradicts the account that the session was a one-off exercise and that Vance did not enter formal BUD/S training.
Sources and media
The public record for this event in the hours after Dec. 22 includes a short clip and reporting. Available materials include a Clips/NewsX Live video on YouTube and a summarizing Chosun report. No conflicting accounts were found in the sources reviewed.
Implications for Las Vegas, Nevada
Economic impact
Las Vegas’s large veteran and military-connected population means national attention on veterans’ service can affect local fundraising and support organizations. While a single Coronado workout has no direct economic effect on Las Vegas, nonprofits and corporations in the area that serve veterans may reference the optics when seeking grants or donor support.
Political consequences
Vance’s public display of military-style training could resonate with Nevada’s mixed urban-moderate electorate. Supporters may cite his service and fitness as leadership attributes; opponents may criticize timing or political optics. In Nevada, veteran voters are an important swing bloc and such imagery can be amplified in local campaigns and messaging.
Social effects
Las Vegas hosts many veterans and active-duty families; the workout may prompt discussion about access, recognition, and the role of political leaders in military life. Local veteran groups may use the moment to host training, recognition events, or outreach to boost volunteer sign-ups or services addressing injury, mental health and job placement.
Cultural relevance
A public figure performing demanding military-style drills fits Nevada’s cultural themes of service and self-reliance. In Las Vegas, where civic pride and demonstrations of grit are common, Vance’s workout may be cast as personal toughness — though many urban-moderate voters may demand substantive policies over symbolic displays.
Practical applications for residents
- Veterans services: Local organizations and county offices may see increased inquiries or donations; agencies in Clark County and community clinics should be prepared for possible spikes.
- Events and outreach: Political and nonprofit groups may schedule town halls, panels, or fitness and recovery programs aimed at veterans.
- Civic conversation: Residents may press local representatives on how federal support for veterans and readiness translates into jobs, health care and family support in Southern Nevada.
Reporting transparency
This article draws on publicly released video and reporting about the event (video; report). At time of publication there are no published accounts that contradict the workout details. Local Las Vegas officials and veteran groups were not on site at Coronado and did not provide additional comment to Times Media Service for this dispatch.
Sources: public video and reporting referenced above; contemporaneous coverage and public social media posts by Vice President J.D. Vance.
