(WASHINGTON) — Vice President JD Vance fumbled The Ohio State University football team’s national championship trophy during a celebration at the White House on Monday.
President Donald Trump hosted the Buckeyes after they won the College Football Playoff National Championship against the University of Notre Dame in January.
When Vance went to pick up the football-shaped trophy off a table at the end of the event, the 24-karat gold, bronze and stainless steel trophy nearly toppled over behind him before two players caught it. The base dropped to the ground to gasps from the crowd.
Vance went on to hold the trophy separate from the base.
Though the Pentagram-designed piece appeared to break, the trophy and base are two separate pieces so that the 26.5 inch-tall, 35-pound trophy can be hoisted in the air. The 12-inch-tall base weighs about 30 pounds.
Vance, a graduate of Ohio State, joked about his fumble afterwards, saying on X, “I didn’t want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy so I decided to break it.”
During the celebration, Vance additionally recounted his joke about asking Trump if he could skip the final inaugural ball on Jan. 20 to attend the championship game in Atlanta.
“The president said, ‘No, but we’ll have him at the White House,'” Vance said.
Trump recounted key moments from the team’s season and shook hands with the players.
Following remarks, the team captains presented Trump with a jersey with “TRUMP 47” written on the back as a band played Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
ABC News’ Molly Nagle contributed to this report.
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