Second Lady Usha Vance and Vice President JD Vance have announced that they are expecting a baby this summer. The couple shared the news on Tuesday in a joint statement posted on social media. This pregnancy marks the first time a sitting second lady has been expecting a child while in office. While it is new territory for a second lady, it is not entirely without precedent in American history.
Usha and JD Vance are expecting their fourth baby
“We’re very excited to share the news that Usha is pregnant with our fourth child, a boy. Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July,” the joint statement read. “During this exciting and hectic time, we are particularly grateful for the military doctors who take excellent care of our family and for the staff members who do so much to ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children,” it added.
The announcement was met with warm wishes as the family prepares to welcome a new member in just a few months.
The Vances already have three children — Ewan (8), Vivek (5) and Mirabel (2). The children have often been seen accompanying their parents during travels across the United States and even overseas.
Usha Vance, who is 40, stepped away from her role as a high-profile public lawyer after her husband became President Donald Trump’s second in command. Since then, she has been a constant presence by his side during his first year in office.
Who is Usha Vance?
Usha Chilukuri Vance gained national attention when she stood proudly beside her husband as he was announced as President Donald Trump’s running mate and vice presidential candidate in the 2024 election. Born in California to Indian immigrant parents, Usha was raised in a suburb of San Diego, according to The New York Times.
She is a lawyer and works as a litigator at Munger, Tolles & Olson, with experience in civil cases, appeals, higher education, local government, entertainment and technology. Before that, she clerked at the US Supreme Court until 2018, working with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and judges Brett Kavanaugh and Amul Thapar.
Both Vance and Usha started dating during their college days, where they first met at Yale Law School in 2013. During their time there, they even organised a discussion group focused on what the New York Times described as the “social decline in white America.”
A rare moment in US history
According to CNN, in 1893, First Lady Frances Cleveland, the wife of President Grover Cleveland, gave birth to her daughter, Esthe,r inside the White House. Two years later, she welcomed another child, Marion, who was born in Massachusetts.
Decades later, in 1963, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy gave birth to her third child, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy. He was born prematurely on Cape Cod and tragically died just two days later due to Hyaline membrane disease.