Usha Vance, wife of Vice President J.D. Vance, is offering rare insight into her new role as Second Lady of the United States—and how her life has changed since becoming part of the MAGA movement.
In an interview with The Free Press journalist Peter Savodnik, Usha candidly addressed the realities of navigating the national spotlight, from public perception to parenting under pressure.
“Our Lives Are Not Normal”
Reflecting on her transition into public life, Usha admitted, “Obviously, our lives are not normal, and it feels almost absurd to say that they are.” The former attorney and mother of three acknowledged the dramatic shift her family experienced after Trump chose her husband, J.D. Vance, as his 2024 running mate.
Before the announcement, Usha explained, she had been working as a lawyer with a down-to-earth lifestyle and wardrobe to match. “I had the wardrobe of a person with three children who likes to do things outdoors, who has a dog, who doesn’t like things to be too precious.”
Welcomed Into the MAGA World, and why she won’t go blonde
Despite entering a space known for its polished appearances and media scrutiny, Usha said her experience has been surprisingly positive.
Addressing the stereotype that women in MAGA circles all look a certain way—“blonde, with low-cut blouses and nine-inch heels”—Usha laughed, “It would be really hard for me to be blonde… that color would look totally absurd.”
She noted that public interest in her looks, including her decision to let her hair go gray after the Inauguration, hasn’t been a major issue. “People don’t seem to care all that much what I look like,” she said, emphasizing that her reception has been warm and inclusive.
Usha also spoke about navigating public moments of tension, including a recent classical music concert interrupted by protesters. “It was about 20 or 30 seconds of some people booing and delaying the start of the concert,” she recalled. “J.D. waved at them, and then we enjoyed the show that we had come for.”
Although she’s frequently by her husband’s side on political trips, from the Munich Security Summit in Europe to Michigan and even Greenland, Usha downplays her role in shaping policy or politics.
“I don’t know that he’s asking me for advice so much as, it can be a very lonely, lonely world not to share with someone,” she explained, highlighting her emotional support role rather than political influence.
Still, she acknowledges the emotional toll of having her and her family’s life reduced to soundbites and assumptions. “There are lots of people who have just imagined all sorts of narratives about us,” she said. “How much planning goes into it, what we think, why we do what we do—it’s a strange life.”
A Voice of Reason in a Rapid-Fire Political Culture
Usha also criticized the broader political discourse, pointing to how technology and social media have damaged thoughtful conversation. “Very, very intelligent people say things that are sometimes very, very ill-founded because we are now in this world in which all conversations happen based on limited information very quickly.”
She expressed concern over society’s tendency to “caricature your enemy,” and acknowledged that this happens “on the right as well.” Her remarks offered a rare, introspective critique from within the MAGA political orbit.
At the heart of her message, Usha emphasized her commitment to keeping her children grounded in the midst of political upheaval.
“There is nothing that [J.D.] cares more about than how his children grow up and how he relates to them,” she said. Both parents remain deeply focused on ensuring their new lifestyle doesn’t negatively impact their family dynamics.
“To me, the highest priority right now is to be actually a normal person,” she concluded, underscoring her ongoing efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy in an increasingly public life.
