JD Vance branded "tasteless" with comment about his wife

Usha Vance (left), JD Vance (right). Credit: X/Acyn

JD Vance has lived a fascinating life indeed. The now-Vice President of the United States had an extremely challenging upbringing with a drug-addicted mother, and was ultimately raised by his grandparents. While he seemed to be heading down the wrong path, Vance turned his life around by joining the army. Later, at Yale, he met the love of his life, Usha.

JD Vance and Usha met in college and have stayed together ever since. They are now husband and wife and have welcomed three children. But while they seem like a happy couple, one clip from Vance just days ago has left social media users enraged. What JD said about his wife has been branded arrogant, disrespectful, and even tasteless.

Vance’s childhood was not what many might have expected. Born in Middleton, Ohio, he grew up with his half-sister, Lindsay Vance, in a home where their mother was a drug addict. When he was only a child, Vance’s mother and father divorced, and as the years went by, the former displayed violent tendencies.

Vance experienced many tragic days as a child. In an interview with NPR, he touched on some incidents which he also wrote about in his 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. It was later adapted into a film by Ron Howard named Hillbilly Elegy, starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close.

In the NPR interview, Vance recalled the terrifying moment his mother threatened to crash their car, killing both her son and daughter.

“[I] hopped in the back seat to hide from her. And this got her really angry. And she stopped the car and pulled over and, I think, was going to start hitting me. And so I ran,” Vance said.

JD Vance

Their grandparents adopted JD and Lindsay, and while things weren’t necessarily easy, the half-siblings had each other. When his half-sister moved out and settled down with a husband and children, Vance tried to find his way. He didn’t know what he wanted to do, and his sister felt terrible for leaving her half-brother behind.

As mentioned, Vance felt lost. He began hanging out with the wrong crowd and experimenting with drugs, but his grandmother soon rooted that out. When she found out, she decided to talk some sense into him – a moment he never will forget.

JD knew he had to change, and after graduating from Middletown High School in 2003, he signed up for the military. He enlisted and spent four years in the Marine Corps, serving as a combat correspondent in Iraq in 2005. His job was to write articles and take photos for the public affairs office, going by the name James Hamel. His last name was after his stepfather, Robert Hamel, and mother renamed him James David Hamel.

Although he probably never considered becoming a politician then, his military colleagues saw something of a politician in him: his fellow Marine friend, retired Maj. Shawn Haney, JD Vance’s officer in charge at Cherry Point, North Carolina, stated that he knew Vance once would walk through the doors of the White House.

When returning to the Marine Corps Airfield in Cherry Point, North Carolina, after his deployment in Iraq, to his surprise, he became a media relations officer on home soil, a position usually reserved only for the most senior Marines.

How JD Vance his wife Usha Vance

In that role, Vance perfected his skills with the media, as the job involved dealing with journalists. As per Stripes, the job has been considered the “holy grail” of Marine Corps public affairs with the “biggest audience and the highest stakes.”

Vance used the GI Bill to attend Ohio State University, where he graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy. He was a talented, hard-working student, leading him to Yale Law School, where he graduated with a law degree in 2013.

But while getting a degree from Yale Law School was a huge accomplishment, he had hit the jackpot before graduation day as he met his then-future wife and mother to his children, Usha.

JD Vance and Usha Vance, previously Chilukri, met at Yale Law School. Born in 1986, Usha came from a very well-educated family and grew up in San Diego. Her parents were Indian immigrants. Usha’s father, Krish, worked as an aerospace engineer and university lecturer, while her mother, Lakshmi, was a professor of molecular biology. JD and Usha shared a reading group and social circle; at first, they were just friends.

But things developed into something more, and according to Vance, Usha was more than just a girlfriend and a best friend. He has previously described her as his “spirit guide” at Yale.

“A powerful female voice”

“She instinctively understood the questions I didn’t even know to ask and she always encouraged me to seek opportunities that I didn’t know existed,” he said.

“I’m one of those guys who really benefits from having sort of a powerful female voice over his left shoulder saying, ‘Don’t do that, do that,'” he said in 2020.

Their classmate at Yale, Charles Tyler, spoke with the BBC, saying that “they were always this match of very dissimilar people.” In his memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, Vance stated that he had “never felt out of place” in his entire life but “did at Yale.”

Therefore, Usha became even more crucial for his development and pursuit of a degree. Usha graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and was also a Gates Scholar at Cambridge University, where she earned a Master of Philosophy in early modern history.

A year after graduating, JD and Usha Vance married. They had two ceremonies: one Hindu ceremony conducted by a Hindu priest to honor Usha’s Hindu heritage and one traditional wedding ceremony.

Different religious backgrounds

Despite their different religious backgrounds, JD and Usha have been brought closer together. Speaking with Fox News, JD said that his wife’s Hindu faith has been essential to him, helping him to navigate challenges in his professional and personal life and reconcile with his Catholic beliefs. He was raised Christian “but never baptized,” Vance explained.

“I was first baptized in 2018. Usha was actually raised non-Christian. But I remember when I started to re-engage with my faith, Usha was very supportive,” he added.

In the same Fox interview, Usha explained she had been brought up in a “religious household.” She agreed that her faith had helped her husband navigate his life.

“My parents are Hindu and that’s one of the things that made them such good parents and good people. And I have seen the power of that in my own life,” she said. “And I knew that JD was searching for something. This just felt right for him.”

“We just talk a lot,” she added, concluding that they agree on many values and principles.

JD Vance has been very clear that Usha has been crucial in shaping his personal and spiritual beliefs. The couple has three children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel. They have decided to keep their children out of their professional lives and are letting them grow up outside the spotlight.

Usha Vance’s work

Usha Vance has worked as a US trial lawyer and clerk at the Supreme Court and the US Court of Appeals. When her husband became a venture capitalist after the success of his 2016 memoir, in 2019, she began working at the firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, focusing “on complex civil litigation and appeals in a wide variety of sectors, including higher education, local government, entertainment, and technology, including semiconductors.”

However, when Donald Trump nominated JD Vance for the vice president role, she was removed from the company website. In a statement to People Magazine, the company said, “Usha has been an excellent lawyer and colleague, and we thank her for her years of work and wish her the best in her future career.”

Usha also released a statement: “In light of today’s news, I have resigned from my position at Munger, Tolles & Olson to focus on caring for our family. I am forever grateful for the opportunities I’ve had at Munger and for the excellent colleagues and friends I’ve worked with over the years.”

Usha has currently paused her career to support her vice president husband. She was by his side throughout the 2024 presidential race, advising him in his debate preparations. When Trump won the Presidential Election, Usha appeared on stage next to him.

And it’s safe to say that JD Vance is pleased that his wife has been with him. Back in 2020, when appearing on The Megyn Kelly Show, Vance said that his wife is a “powerful female voice,” that is guiding him.

“Usha definitely brings me back to earth. If I get a little too cocky or a little too proud, I remind myself that she’s way more accomplished than I.”

JD Vance blasted for comment about his wife on stage

In another interview the same year, he said: “I’m one of those guys who really benefits from having sort of a powerful female voice over his left shoulder saying, ‘Don’t do that … do that.'”

Usha Vance is now the Second Lady of the United States and is often seen in public next to her husband. However, just days ago, social media users became furious with JD Vance—all because of what he did to her.

While speaking at an event in Michigan, Vance praised his spouse for doing a great job, stating that he was proud to have her by his side. However, he suggested that she has no other option but to laugh at everything he says when they are on camera.

“Here’s the thing. The cameras are all on; anything I say, no matter how crazy, she has to smile, laugh, and celebrate it,” JD said, while Usha was actually seen smiling and laughing.

The clip was posted on X, and social media users quickly expressed their anger toward JD.

“JD Vance’s comment about his wife was demeaning and controlling. It’s another example of his arrogance, showing disrespect even to his spouse on a public stage. His pattern of divisive remarks proves he’s unfit for leadership,” one user wrote, as per MSN.

“Poor taste”

“That sounds like a threat. She should consult a lawyer and ensure the long-term safety and security of herself and the children. I know how this goes over time in a marriage. The threats get real,” a second wrote.

A third social media user added: “Why is she standing like that when he’s saying that nonsense? Is she being abused? What man talks like that about their wife? Wow. Girl blink three times real fast and we’ll come save you.”

A fourth person stated: “I know it’s supposed to be a joke but.. poor taste. And he’s kind of shouting himself in the foot, now people will think her reactions as well as those of others around him are fake,” while another said Vance’s “attempt at humor is always tasteless,” and that Usha looked “miserable.”

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