McCain Criticizes Violet Affleck; Parents' Reps Silent

Nineteen-year-old Violet Affleck, a Yale freshman and self-described youth advocate who says she experienced a post-viral condition, spoke at a U.N. Healthy Indoor Air event urging mask use, clean-air initiatives and warning about long COVID while wearing an N95/K95. Former The View co-host Meghan McCain attacked Affleck on X, calling her a “nepo baby” and saying she had “no business speaking at the UN,” then deleted the post before reposting a similar defense. McCain — who lists herself as a “nepo baby” in her own bio — argued her parents would not have allowed a 19-year-old to speak on a health topic and said advocating to mask children “all day in 2025” was “insane,” prompting critics to call her hypocritical. Media outlets reported that Affleck’s parents’ representatives had not commented on the exchange. Coverage has highlighted a wider debate over celebrity youth activism, public-health expertise and online reactions to statements by public figures.