‘Attack’: JD Vance asks ‘Who was driving’ over Germany Christmas market accident; vague headline draws flak

JD Vance, US Vice President-elect, reacted to The Associated Press headline and spoke up about the recent car accident in Germany that resulted in 2 causalities. Many others were injured when a black BMW drove through a crowded Christmas market. Joining the critics over the framing of headline by prominent media organisations, JD Vance questioned, "Who was driving the car."

AP's headline states, “A car has driven into a group of people at a Christmas market in Germany.”

In another post on X, he termed the incident as an ‘attack,’ pointing to the timing which comes days ahead of the major festival and expressed condolences to the affected people. He wrote, “Our prayers go to the people affected by this terrible attack on a Christmas market in Germany. What a ghastly attack so close to Christmas.”

It was reported that a 50-year-old Saudi doctor named Tayeb A, was suspected of driving the car in Magdeburg on Friday evening. The authorities arrested him at gunpoint after the terror attack. According to India Today report, platform's X fact checking feature community note said, "'A car has driven' implies the car drove itself, which is factually incorrect. A man from Saudi Arabia intentionally drove the car into the Christmas market as a terror attack."

Social media reaction

An intense debate sparked online over the use of passive language in headlines, particularly in this case where the suspect was already identified and arrested. "Misleading" headline drew flak after verified footage of the suspect being pinned to the ground by a policeman near the damaged car surfaced.

A social media user stated, “Based on the AP's reporting, we are to believe the helpless Saudi man in the driver's seat was a victim of the car kidnapping him.” Another user wrote, "Was it driverless? How did the car drive into a market intentionally all on its own? 'Saudi Arabian terrorist drives car into market killing many'. Fixed it for you."

A third user stated, “Another rogue vehicle has decided to drive through a Christmas festival...huh?” A fourth user replied, “Homicidal cars are now a problem? That’s why they shouldn’t be self driving.”

In contrast, a fifth user spoke in support of the news agency, “Folks gonna focus on the Saudi part completely missing this was an educated, professional man. Not someone you'd normally associate with terrorism or crime.”