Second Lady Usha Vance said that her husband, Vice President JD Vance, confides in her when something is bothering him, and that she doesn’t always agree with him on every issue. However, she noted, having room for disagreement allows for “open-minded” conversations, according to NBC News.
She said although the Vice President has a full team of policy advisers, he turns to her “when something is troubling him” or “when he really wants to talk through something that feels more, kind of, intensely personal or important personally".
The Second Lady described herself as a trusted adviser to her husband, particularly on issues that matter to him personally. She explained that they talk frequently, and she makes an effort to understand his priorities and concerns. She emphasised that, as his spouse, being aware of what’s happening in his life is essential for providing support.
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“I’m not his staffer. I’m not involved in this in any professional sense. … There’s no expectation that we are going to see eye to eye on everything. The expectation is that we are going to be open-minded and have a conversation, and that I’ll provide meaningful input from, you know, the perspective of someone who loves him and wants him to succeed. So even if we don’t agree, it’s — I think it’s always very productive," Usha said on Friday.
Will JD Vance run for president in 2028? Usha noted that her husband’s political future isn’t a “priority” of their private discussions, despite widespread expectations that he may run for president in 2028.
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“JD is very focused on the midterm elections right now, on all the things that are happening right this moment, which are obviously exceedingly important. And so if you come back in 2027 and ask me, I’ll have a better sense of, you know, what he’s thinking in that way. But that’s not the priority in our conversations,” Usha mentioned.
In a December interview with NBC News, the Vice President stated that he would wait until after the 2026 midterm elections to decide whether to run for president.
At that time, JD Vance stated, “I try to not wake up and ever think, ‘What does this mean for my future?’ I always try to think, ‘How can I do a good job right now,’ right? And that’s one of the reasons why I’ve tried to steer away from the 2028 conversation. … I never want the focus on the future to come at the expense of this job.”
No ‘pressure’ being the first second lady to be Hindu The Second Lady, who remained a registered Democrat at least until 2014 and supported the Republican ticket when her husband ran for Senate, was asked about her comfort in today’s political landscape. She explained that she has never felt compelled to align with any particular policy stance, even when her views don’t fit neatly within the traditional political spectrum.
Usha also reflected on her role as the first Hindu Second Lady, noting that she does not feel any “pressure” because of that distinction.
“Everything about this is so novel that this is just one element of the novelty, in many ways,” she stated.