Video: In Senate, Kamala Harris bungles Pledge of Allegiance, JD Vance snickers

US Vice President Kamala Harris, presiding over one of her final duties before leaving office, appeared to stumble over the Pledge of Allegiance during the opening of the 119th Congress.

The verbal flub, which occurred in the Senate chamber ahead of her administering the oath to newly elected senators on Friday, quickly went viral online.

Harris (60), who serves as president of the Senate, led the chamber in reciting the pledge but mistakenly omitted a portion of its iconic opening words – ‘I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America’.

“I pledge allegiance to the United States of America,” Harris said, leaving out “the flag of” before momentarily pausing and continuing with the rest of the pledge alongside the assembled senators.

The moment, caught on camera, sparked swift reactions across social media. Conservative commentator Collin Rugg remarked, “JUST IN: Kamala Harris appears to forget the Pledge of Allegiance during the swearing-in ceremony for new senators. This woman is a heartbeat away from being the president.”

Former Trump campaign aide Chester Tam called the error “absolutely pathetic,” adding, “America dodged a bullet” in the 2024 presidential election.

Despite the gaffe, Harris completed the ceremonial duties without further incident, swearing in both new and returning senators.

Ohio Senator and incoming Vice President JD Vance, standing just feet away from Harris as she administered the oath of office, was seen laughing and speaking sotto voce with fellow Republican leaders. The brief exchange also went viral and further fuelled the buzz online.

At the swearing-in ceremony, Harris rubbed shoulders with Republican senators who are some of her worst detractors. Pennsylvania’s Dave McCormick and Montana’s Tim Sheehy, both newly elected, have previously mispronounced Harris’s first name during campaign speeches, a slight that drew criticism during their campaigns.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who was sworn in for another term, has long been a vocal critic of the Democrat, accusing her last year of enabling illegal voting by non-white migrants — claims widely debunked by experts.