Vice President JD Vance referred to Sen. Alex Padilla as “José Padilla” during a Friday visit to Los Angeles where he criticized California’s Democratic leaders and defended the Trump administration’s controversial use of the state’s National Guard in the city.

"Well I was hoping that José Padilla would be here to ask a question but unfortunately I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn't the theater," Vance said. "And that's all it is. I think everybody realizes what this is.

Sen. Alex Padilla insisted the vice president knows his name, calling the misnaming a reflection of a "petty and unserious" administration. The dustup arrives as federal immigration raids continue to roil Los Angeles and surrounding communities.