South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace has responded to the public's reaction to her extensively tattooed arms, describing the scrutiny as an "utter apocalypse" and "funny." Mace, 48, revealed her tattoos on her new YouTube show, "Get Maced," in a segment that included an introductory montage featuring clips of her inked arms and her posing in a bikini. The congresswoman, whose House term ends in January, had the tattoos for months but kept them covered until recently.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mace thanked pundit Laura Loomer for defending her, stating, "The utter apocalypse over my biceps is funny." Mace previously discussed her tattoos with Politico earlier this year, sharing that she acquired nine tattoos during a difficult period in her life. She described the ink as "the pain that I need to feel" and a method to "reclaim" her identity and body. "So my story is I am totally broken," Mace candidly stated. "I have PTSD over what I’ve been through." She has spoken about dealing with staff departures that led to negative press coverage and a breakup with her fiancé, among other recent challenges. Mace has also accused her ex-fiancé and others of sexual assault and rape. Her ex has filed a lawsuit against her concerning these accusations, which were made on the House floor and are protected by congressional immunity under the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution. Mace ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina, finishing in fifth place. She subsequently endorsed Democratic Attorney General Alan Wilson in the runoff election.