Vanderpump Rules star James Kennedy just landed himself in some hot water. The DJ-turned-reality TV firecracker found himself caught in a whirlwind of controversy after posing for a photo with the ever-controversial Tate brothers, Andrew and Tristan in Las Vegas.

But the drama didn’t stop with the snapshot. After swift backlash from fans who were shocked that Kennedy would associate himself with the accused human traffickers, James quickly scrubbed the pic from his social media and issued an apology.

Enter Tristan Tate, who was not happy about Kennedy's social media behavior.  Instead, he blasted the VPR alum, calling him a “p***y” who had “begged” for the photo and gassed him up as a “hero.”

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So, what exactly went down? Let’s break it all down for the Pump Rules faithful.

The whole mess started when Kennedy, 33, posted a now-deleted pic of himself with the Tate brothers while partying in Vegas. Fans instantly flooded his comments, calling the association “disgusting” and questioning whether Kennedy was aware of the brothers’ troubling legal history, including allegations of human trafficking and rape.

In response, Kennedy took to Instagram Stories with a classic damage-control statement:

“I regret posting a photo with the Tate brothers at an event last night," he wrote. "I was unfamiliar with their content and the allegations against them. I only knew them as podcasters that had posted a viral clip about Vanderpump. I have since educated myself and condemn their beliefs. I am sorry to all that I offended.”

Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong. Because Tristan Tate was not about to let Kennedy rewrite history. Shortly after Kennedy's apology, Tristan, 36, went off on social media –  ripping the reality star apart.

“This guy begged the Tate brothers for a picture like a fan just to post this right after," said the businessman. “He begged and kissed my a** for 30 minutes straight and called me a hero. He knew EXACTLY who I was and what content I made. He’s just a p***y who can’t handle DMs from woke retards.”

Fans wasted zero time jumping into the chaos. Some slammed Kennedy for posing with the Tates in the first place, while others questioned if he was genuinely clueless about their background.

“Crazy how he crumbled up like that. Lmao," one wrote. "James is way cooler than them combined," said another. "They all use the name for clout then trash talk after. Lol.”

Meanwhile, Kennedy's Pump Rules co-star Ariana Madix — who knows a thing or two about internet-breaking scandals — appeared to side with the fans calling him out. She subtly threw shade by unfollowing him on Instagram. 

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This scandal is more than just a messy deleted photo — there are layers to this tea.

First, Kennedy isn’t exactly a stranger to controversy. He’s been accused of verbal abuse, cheating, and recently faced domestic violence allegations from ex-girlfriend Ally Lewber, though charges were later dropped. Some fans are now wondering – is this just another case of Kennedy making reckless choices and hoping to apologize his way out of it?

On the flip side, the Tate brothers are no strangers to controversy either. Andrew Tate has built an empire on misogynistic rhetoric and has faced serious allegations, including human trafficking. Tristan has ridden those coattails – positioning himself as his brother’s right-hand man.

For VPR fans, this mess might not be Scandoval-level – but it sure is another reminder that reality stars need to think before they selfie.

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Kennedy claims he had no idea who the Tate brothers were beyond a viral Vanderpump Rules clip. But Tristan says James was well aware of who they were and begged for the pic. So, who’s telling the truth?

Photo Credit: @itsjameskennedy on Instagram.