Vice President JD Vance has come a long way from a challenging upbringing. Raised by a mother battling severe alcohol addiction, he was headed down a troubling path—until his grandparents stepped in to raise him and his half-sister, Lindsay, providing much-needed stability.
At a critical point in his youth, when his grandmother discovered he was hanging around negative influences and experimenting with drugs, she sat him down for a serious conversation that proved to be life-changing.
That moment helped steer Vance in a new direction. After graduating from Middletown High School in 2003, he joined the military. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Ohio State University in 2009 and went on to graduate from Yale Law School in 2013.
It was at Yale that Vance met Usha, now his wife. Together, they have three children.
Usha comes from a family of highly accomplished Indian immigrants. Her father worked as an aerospace engineer and university lecturer, while her mother was a professor of molecular biology.
Reflecting on his wife, Vance said in 2020 that Usha had a natural ability to ask the right questions and push him to explore opportunities he might have otherwise overlooked. “I’m someone who thrives with a strong woman beside me, someone who says, ‘Don’t do that—do this,’” he explained.
When Vance was nominated for the vice presidency, Usha put her career on hold to support him. After Trump’s election win, she joined her husband onstage to celebrate.
Now serving as second lady, Usha frequently accompanies Vance to official events. However, a recent appearance in Michigan stirred controversy due to a comment Vance made about her that many found “uncomfortable” and “in poor taste.”
In a widely circulated video with over 10 million views, Vance praised his wife’s performance as second lady but added, jokingly, that because of the cameras, “she has to smile, laugh, and cheer at whatever ridiculous thing I say.”
While the audience laughed at the remark, the reaction online was far less amused. Critics on social media called the comment problematic, with some urging Usha to “get out” of what they described as a controlling dynamic.
“Is JD Vance trying to be some kind of ‘traditional husband influencer’ now?” one user asked. “Telling your wife she has to laugh at your every word—no matter how absurd—feels really off.”
Others criticized the outdated image of political spouses who merely sit and smile, arguing that such roles are meaningless and harmful, especially in 2025.
One particularly concerned commenter went so far as to suggest Usha seek legal advice, warning that such dynamics in a marriage can escalate over time, potentially leading to more serious consequences.