Usha Vance on Life as Second Lady: From Legal Career to the White House Spotlight
Usha Vance found out her husband, JD Vance, had been chosen as Donald Trump’s running mate just “five minutes” before it hit the headlines—and only about an hour before his official nomination.
“It was like a bolt of lightning,” she recalled in a candid chat on Meghan McCain’s podcast, Citizen McCain. Fast forward nearly a year, and now seated in the vice-president’s residence at the US Naval Observatory, Usha reflects on how dramatically her world has shifted.
“People call you ma’am,” she laughed. “No one’s ever called me ma’am before this.”
Before stepping into the national spotlight, Usha Vance was a lawyer at a progressive firm, raising her three young children in Ohio. A daughter of immigrants and a former Democrat, she lived a private, grounded life. Now, as second lady, she’s shadowed by Secret Service, and even leaving a gym class in Washington turns heads.
During the nearly hour-long conversation, the focus was far from policy. There were no questions about the Trump administration’s bold foreign policy moves—no mentions of the strike on Iran, immigration raids in California, or the federal crackdown on universities and law firms.
Instead, Vance opened up about the everyday adjustments of raising kids in this new high-profile world. Her mission? To bring a sense of normalcy for her children—and to use her role to “make things just a little bit better for other people.”
She talked about missing Ohio, the challenge of keeping kids off screens, her husband’s surprising love of baking, and the awkward loss of anonymity.
As the first South Asian and Hindu second lady in American history, she acknowledged the milestone but didn’t dwell on it. “Maybe we’ve just moved past counting firsts,” she said, although she appreciated the pride many have shared with her. “It gives me a little bit of a sense of purpose.”
Toward the end of the interview, McCain addressed the “elephant in the room”—could Usha Vance one day become First Lady?
“I’m not plotting my next move,” Vance responded thoughtfully. “In a dream world, I’d go back to my home, continue my career, and live life quietly again. If that happens in four years, great. If it happens later, that’s okay too. Right now, I’m just along for the ride.”
So far, Vance hasn’t committed to a signature cause, unlike her predecessors. She expressed concern that any initiative could be twisted into a political controversy. Still, she hinted at what might lie ahead. Her office recently launched the “Second Lady’s 2025 Summer Reading Challenge”—her “first of many small steps” to inspire kids to pick up books instead of devices.
In a warm and personal moment, McCain shared she’s expecting her third child—a boy—and asked Vance to explain why having three kids is a good thing. Vance congratulated her and described how her own children operate as a “pack”, always playing together and watching out for one another. “Going from two to three kids,” she said, “was shockingly the easiest transition of all.”
Discription:
"Usha Vance, wife of JD Vance and current Second Lady of the United States, opens up about her unexpected journey into political life, the challenges of raising kids under public scrutiny, and her hopes for creating a positive impact. In a heartfelt interview with Meghan McCain, she shares personal stories, her South Asian heritage, and her vision to promote children's reading habits through her new initiative."