Latest news with #SLOTUS
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
JD Vance's Wife Got To Know Of His Veep Nomination 5 Minutes Before Public
Usha Vance, wife of JD Vance and Second Lady of the United States, has revealed she learned of her husband's vice-presidential nomination just 'five minutes' before it became public. 'It really was like a bolt of lightning. You don't have an opportunity to think about it, or even to plan what it is that you'd like to do,' Usha, who is of Indian-origin, said in a podcast with US author Meghan McCain. Usha Vance also faced questions about her role as the US Second Lady and the pressure of being the first woman of South Asian descent to be in that position. 'Maybe we've just sort of moved beyond trying to count firsts of everything. I'm not sure, except when older Indian people kind of give me that look,' Usha said. She also touched upon how her life changed since JD Vance became the Vice President. Usha said, 'People call you ma'am. No one's ever called me ma'am before this.' It was such a privilege to be able to sit down with our incredible @SLOTUS Usha Vance for her first long form on camera interview. She is already iconic and I loved getting to know her more personal side. If you haven't already watched, here it is! — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 26, 2025 In July 2024, months ahead of the November presidential elections, Donald Trump announced 39-year-old JD Vance as his running mate. The announcement came on the first day of the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee. A former venture capitalist and an author from Ohio, JD Vance was once a strong critic of Trump, and was known for calling him 'America's Hitler' and an 'idiot' after the 2016 election. Much has changed since then. JD Vance turned into one of the most loyal supporters of Trump. He had even appeared in court to back Trump during his hush money trial. Vance is a graduate of Yale Law School and a US Marine veteran. Since Trump won the November 5 election, Vance's family has also been in the spotlight. Much of the attention has focused on Usha's Indian origins. Born in San Diego County, California, Usha is the daughter of Telugu immigrant parents. Usha's father is a mechanical engineer, and her mother is a molecular biologist from Andhra Pradesh. She has a BA degree in history from Yale University and an MPhil in early modern history at Cambridge. In 2010, while at Yale Law School, she met JD Vance and the couple wed in Kentucky in 2014. They have three children: two sons, Ewan and Vivek, and a daughter, Mirabel.
Hindustan Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Vance India visit to feature mix of official interactions, cultural engagements
New Delhi: US vice president JD Vance and his family arrived in India on Monday for a three-day visit that will include a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and feature a mix of official interactions and cultural engagements aimed at introducing his children to the country of origin of their mother Usha. Vance and the Second Lady were received on their arrival at Palam airbase by Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. He was given a ceremonial welcome, including a guard of honour by the three services. The three children emerged from the special flight clad in Indian attire – Vance's sons Ewan and Vivek were wearing kurta and pyjamas, while his daughter Mirabel was clad in a blue dress. 'A very warm welcome to @VP JD Vance, @SLOTUS Mrs. Usha Vance, & the U.S. delegation to India!' external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media, adding that the visit is expected to deepen the bilateral comprehensive global strategic partnership. Soon after their arrival, Vance and his family visited the sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham temple complex on the banks of the Yamuna river. Footage showed Vance walking around the temple holding the hands of his sons. Issues such as ongoing negotiations for an India-US bilateral trade agreement, the new US reciprocal tariffs, currently paused till July, market access, defence cooperation and the situation in the Indo-Pacific are expected to figure when Vance meets Modi at his official residence on Monday evening. Jaiswal told a media briefing last week that India and the US have a comprehensive partnership and 'all relevant issues' will be discussed during the visit. 'Our relationship is such that we are doing anything that is part of human endeavour…So, all these bilateral issues will be discussed and we are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties,' he said. Much of the focus of the trip, however, will be on cultural engagements and visits to tourist sites in Jaipur and Agra aimed at introducing Vance's children to the country where their mother Usha traces her roots. The only substantial official engagement in Vance's schedule is the meeting with Modi and a dinner to be hosted by the prime minister that is expected to be attended by several cabinet ministers, including external affairs minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and top BJP leaders, people familiar with the matter said. A change in the timing of Vance's arrival – he flew into the capital several hours later than initially scheduled – meant that meetings with several leaders were no longer part of the itinerary. Modi too has a busy schedule as he will travel to Saudi Arabia for an official visit during April 22-23. India is the second leg of a week-long two-nation tour by Vance that began on April 18 and has already taken him to Italy. This is his first trip to India, and the first visit by a US vice president in more than a decade. Modi and Vance last met on the margins of the AI Action Summit in Paris in February. Soon after the dinner hosted by Modi, Vance will travel from New Delhi to Jaipur on Monday night. On April 22, Vance will receive a formal welcome from the Rajasthan governor and chief minister, and he and his family are expected to visit Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, City Palace and Hawa Mahal. In the afternoon, Vance will deliver a speech at the Rajasthan International Centre before holding some meetings with political and business leaders. Vance is expected to speak on priorities for India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during the speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian officials and academics. On April 23, the Vances will travel to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram, an open-air emporium showcasing Indian artefacts. Vance and his delegation are expected to leave India early on April 24. Vance's visit follows a trip to India by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was the first member of Trump's cabinet to travel to New Delhi in March for a security conclave and the Raisina Dialogue. This will be Vance's third foreign trip since taking office. Vance visited Paris and Munich in February, when his remarks at public events criticising European allies for censorship of free speech and defence spending ruffled many feathers as they were seen as supportive of right-wing forces. Vance visited Greenland in March with his wife and Waltz but received a frosty reception because of the Trump administration's interest in taking control of the self-governing territory of Denmark.
Indian Express
21-04-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
US V-P JD Vance arrives in India, to hold talks with PM Modi amid US tariff war
US Vice-President J D Vance landed in Delhi Monday morning, along with his family, for a four-day visit, and is expected to discuss issues related to tariffs and the bilateral trade deal during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to sources, Vance is expected to press India on the issue of buying US defence equipment Vance, who is travelling with his Indian-origin wife Usha Vance and three children, was received by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the Palam airport. PM Modi will host a dinner for the US vice-president later in the day. 'A very warm welcome to @VP JD Vance, @SLOTUS Mrs. Usha Vance, & the U.S. delegation to India! … The Official Visit (21–24 Apr) spanning Delhi, Jaipur & Agra is expected to further deepen the India–U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,' Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), posted on X. Vance, wife Usha, and their three children — Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel — landed at the Palam airbase. The US vice-president and Second lady walked down the stairs of Air Force 2 at 9.50 am, holding hands and without their children. While Vance wore a blue suit and red tie, Usha Vance emerged in a long, sleeveless coral dress, and at some point soon after reaching the bottom of the steps, had draped a white blazer over her shoulders. While Vance was accorded the ceremonial guard of honour, Usha Vance watched on. Their children emerged from the plane: the boys in kurtas and Mirabel in a lehenga. The family then went towards dancers, who were on a small platform, briefly watched them, and posed for some photos. Vance did not stop to talk, but said, 'Hey guys, good morning,' as he walked by the US press pool. He picked up Mirabel, and the family continued walking out of sight. According to sources, Vance is accompanied by senior officials, including those from the Pentagon and the State Department. National Security Council Senior Director Ricky Gill, who is a senior official from the White House, has also come. Vance's first visit to India after assuming office as V-P comes in the backdrop of the sweeping tariff regime announced by US President Donald Trump, which has been paused for 90 days, against most countries, including India. New Delhi and Washington are holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a range of issues, including tariffs and market access. Hours after arriving in Delhi, Vance and his family visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in the Capital. Later in the evening, at 6.30 pm, Vance will meet PM Modi at the his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence for official talks. The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost the overall trajectory of ties between the two countries, sources said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by Modi, sources said. Following the talks, Modi will host Vance, his family, and the accompanying US officials for dinner. Later on Monday night, Vance and his family are scheduled to leave for Jaipur, where they are set to stay at the Rambagh Palace, a luxury hotel that once served as a royal guesthouse. On Tuesday, they are likely to visit some historical sites, including the Amer Fort which is a Unesco world heritage site. In the afternoon, Vance is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, sources said. On Wednesday morning, the US vice-president and his family are expected to travel to Agra, where they will visit the Taj Mahal. They are also scheduled to go to Shilpgram, an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts. They are expected to return to Jaipur the same evening. Vance and his family will then leave for the US from Jaipur on Thursday, April 24.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Usha Vance Had A Surprisingly Anti-MAGA Item In The Background Of A New Video
Honestly, the funniest and least confusing explanation for this would be that Usha Vance has a disgruntled intern. On Sunday, the Second Lady posted a video to her Instagram account announcing an upcoming trip to Kalaallit Nunnaat, Greenland, to attend a dog sled race. Vance's announcement was about as bland as the background of her video, which consisted of a blank green wall and a mantle topped with a black vase. The scene is so boring, in fact, that one's eye is drawn to a book conspicuously placed on a shelf in the top left corner of the frame. Surprisingly the book isn't her husband Vice President JD Vance's 2020 bestseller, 'Hillbilly Ellergy,' but a book by another vice president: Al Gore's 'Earth in the Balance.' The Democrat published the book in 1992 to serve as an early warning about the 'grave danger' presented by climate change. In the foreword of a 2006 reissue of the book, Gore wrote that, 'Global warming is real, it is getting worse rapidly, it is mainly caused by human beings,' the Daily Beast pointed out. Considering that President Donald Trump has been actively gaslighting Americans into believing that global warming is just a hoax, and that Lee Zeldin, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, announced earlier this month that he plans to drive 'a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion' by rolling back landmark environmental regulations, it's safe to say that Gore's book would be perceived by the right as pretty anti-MAGA. The bewildering placement of the book in Vance's video, however, could be indicative of something other than SLOTUS just being clueless. The video's context indicates that Vance has been, at least for now, tasked with the role of convincing Greenland that imperialism isn't all that bad. Greenland has made it abundantly clear they do not want to become part of the United States, despite Trump's insistence that he'd like to annex the autonomous territory and claim it for the U.S. 'one way or the other.' The book's placement could be a signal to the Nordic region that Vance, at the very least, cares a smidge about global warming, which is already having a profound impact on Greenland. Vance's softening of her arrival in Greenland also makes sense being that her visit to the Nordic island will follow national security adviser Mike Waltz and U.S. energy secretary Chris Wright's visit to Greenland earlier in the week, according to The New York Times. Greenland's prime minister, Mute B. Egede, called the visits by the Trump administration's senior officials this week, 'highly aggressive.' Egede was especially annoyed with Waltz's visit, remarking to a Greenlandic newspaper, which was translated by the Times: 'What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us.' Egede added, 'His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump's mission — and the pressure will increase.' Trump Admin Tries To Woo Greenland With Visit From Second Lady Usha Vance Greenland Prime Minister Slams U.S. Officials' Upcoming Visit Amid Trump Annexation Talk All 5 Greenland Political Parties Reject Trump's Annexation Dream
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Usha Vance Accidentally Reveals Very Un-MAGA Item on Her Shelf
On Sunday, second lady Usha Vance posted a video to her SLOTUS Instagram account announcing her upcoming trip to Kalaallit Nunnaat, Greenland, to attend a dog sled race. The video features the 39-year-old standing in front of a mantel in a room with limited decor. Despite the bland background, however, one particular item can be spotted in the top left hand corner of the screen; a small figurine standing in front of a book written by a vice president of the United States. You might assume the one book featured in the room would be Hillbilly Elegy, written by her husband, JD Vance. But instead, it's Earth in the Balance, authored by Bill Clinton's VP, Al Gore. First published in 1992, Gore's book was an early warning about the 'grave danger' presented by climate change. In a foreword to the 2006 reissue, Gore wrote, 'Global warming is real, it is getting worse rapidly, it is mainly caused by human beings, we need to act now to avoid the worst of its consequences.' Contrast that with the stance of the Trump administration, which has called global warming 'a hoax.' Just a few days ago, President Donald Trump revoked a Biden-era rule that would have taxed methane pollution. Meanwhile, Lee Zeldin, the current head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is gleefully rolling back regulations. 'We are driving a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion,' Zeldin announced. So what message was the second lady trying to send by displaying Gore's book? Is she a secret climate change denier denier? Greenland is already experiencing negative environmental impacts due to rising temperatures that are melting year-round sea ice and causing 'ice quakes.' Greenland has also suffered another unwelcome symptom of global change: a visit from Donald Trump Jr. on the family's Boeing 757. Perhaps SLOTUS wanted to subliminally assure the people of Greenland that she's an ally and shares their grave concerns about the planet. Still, on the surface, Vance could not have appeared bubblier. She said she was 'thrilled' to be attending a dog sled race before adding, 'I'm also coming to express that our relationship will only grow stronger in the coming years. I look forward to meeting many of you soon and to learning from you about your beautiful land, culture and traditions.' This tone is markedly different from her husband who in February, told Fox News, that if President Trump wants 'to take more territorial interest in Greenland, that is what President Trump is going to do because he doesn't care about what the Europeans scream at us, he cares about putting the interests of America's citizens first.' Clearly, it's a mixed message. The sub-title of Gore's book is 'Ecology and the Human Spirit.' In his introduction, Gore muses that examining global warming forced him to look not just externally, but internally 'I had to look inside myself and confront some difficult and painful questions about what I am really seeking in my own life, and why,' the former vice president wrote. Whether or not Vance has highlighted that sentence remains unknown.
