JD Vance divulges marriage secrets, why he hates debating Usha and their different sleeping habits
Vice President JD Vance revealed some behind-the-scenes details about how he keeps his marriage and family life together despite the disruptions of life in public office.
The vice president said that he and his wife Usha have a husband/wife book club with just the two of them, which helps them literally stay on the same page.
‘[It’s] actually forcing us to do something together that makes us think that makes us talk, that gives us something that we’re talking about at the exact same time,’ he said. ‘That’s been very good.’
Vance said he has fallen behind a bit with less time to read, but that they’ve completed two books together since he became vice president.
He said that they alternate between choices and have read, ‘All the Pretty Horses,’ by Cormac McCarthy, Ross Douthat’s fantasy novel ‘The Falcon’s Children’ that was ‘actually pretty good,’ and Abigail Shrier’s book, ‘Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up.’
Vance spoke about his marriage and family life during the debut episode of the Katie Miller Podcast.
He said he and his wife also typically have a drink together once a week, and while they used to go out to bars in Cincinnati, they now just make a cocktail and sit on the porch of the vice president’s residence.
Vance revealed that the stereotype of women being more emotional and men being more rational was not the case in their family.
US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance step off Air Force Two
US Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance and their children attend the Army 250th Anniversary Parade
‘That’s probably the opposite in our marriage, Usha’s definitely like super stoic and I’m the one that gets super fired up about things,’ he said.
He admitted that Usha is the ‘the better debater’ between the two of them because of her attention to detail.
‘I hate getting into arguments with her because she always remembers details and facts way better than I do,’ he said.
JD and Usha Vance have been married for 11 years and have three children together, Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 3.
‘We have a very happy marriage, I’ve been a very lucky in the person that God put me with,’ Vance said.
The vice president said that they do not waste time when they have a disagreement.
‘We’re super brutally honest about things,’ Vance said.
‘If Usha and I are mad about something, we usually talk about it three minutes later, and that communication has been very good for us.’
Miller, who is married to White House Deputy Chief of staff Stephen Miller, worked as a communications director for former Vice President Mike Pence and after Trump won a second term, worked in communications for DOGE.
She also spent time working handling press for Elon Musk, but ultimately left to start her podcast.
Vance also dished on the pair’s sleeping habits.
JD and Usha Vance in the early years of their marriage
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children talk with U.S. Air Force General James Hecker
When asked about his ‘dad superpower,’ Vance revealed that he is a light sleeper.
Due to that, he’s usually the first to attend to the children when they wake up in the middle of the night.
‘Usha’s a super heavy sleeper, I’m a very light sleeper, and I also sleep less than she does,’ Vance said.
He noted that he is usually the one first out of bed in the morning to have his coffee and take the dog outside.
He also said that typically one of the kids wakes up about ‘once a week’ in the middle of the night.
‘It’s one of those things I kind of like, even though I don’t want to be woken up at three in the morning, it’s kind of nice that they still need that affection, need that attention, it reminds me that they’re still babies,’ he said.
