JD Vance pushed back Friday against swirling social-media rumors about his marriage to Usha Vance, calling the speculation misguided and insisting their relationship “is as strong as it’s ever been.”
The chatter picked up after photos surfaced showing Usha without her wedding ring during a November visit to a military base. This was Usha’s first outing with First Lady Melania Trump, and the ladies put their best foot forward as they helped boost morale at the base before the holidays. However, Usha’s missing band quickly triggered chatter among critics and gossip sites.
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In a joint statement with NBC News, Vance said the couple had leaned into the rumors with a bit of humor. “I think that we kind of get a kick out of it.” He explained that they rolled with the punches and transitioned as they needed to. “With anything in life, you take the good with the bad,” adding, “You accept that there are some sacrifices and there are some very good things that come along with it, too. But our marriage is as strong as it’s ever been.”
The Vice President added that his wife has handled the transition into her new public role with grace, and he praised how she’s “developed and evolved” during this period.
Interesting. Usha Vance minus a wedding ring yesterday at Camp Lejeune. pic.twitter.com/NqRR9zMGYL
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) November 21, 2025
A message from the Vances’ spokesperson also attempted to squash speculation shortly after those ring-less photos first drew attention. They explained that Usha, as a mother of three, often handles everyday chores and “sometimes forgets her ring.”
Still, critics and online commentators seized on the images, plus past controversies involving the couple, including remarks by Vance about his wife’s religious background and how he wishes she would convert, continue to fuel speculation.
There’s actually a number of photos of Usha Vance not wearing her wedding ring, including during her visit with the VP to PA earlier this year/last week when she visited wounded veterans at Walter Reed.
A spox for the Second Lady tells @realDailyWire that Usha Vance is “a mother… https://t.co/KqkD5FvddN pic.twitter.com/IsVv5hA7ji
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) November 21, 2025
So, when Usha forgot to wear her ring a second time, Vance relayed that she had a feeling that it would backfire. “She was like, ‘Oh, if I don’t go back and get them, there’s going to be some ridiculous psycho who talks about it on social media, ‘” he recounted. “And I was like, let them. It’s not even worth the trip to run back upstairs. So we actually have a little bit of fun with it. And we thought that whole viral social media cycle was kind of funny.”
Yet, Number 2 also admitted that it wasn’t always easy to be in the spotlight, calling it “difficult on the family.” However, Vance also pointed out that “it’s the sacrifice that we signed up for.”
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According to CNN, J.D. and Usha first met at Yale Law School and married in 2014. She has a background as a litigator and clerk, while he rose to prominence as an author, senator, and now vice president. Their interfaith background, she’s from an Indian-heritage Hindu family, while Vance is Catholic, has drawn media attention before.
With public scrutiny high and social media quick to amplify any detail, the couple’s remarks reflect a decision to push back directly on their own terms. For now, they insist the noise is more distraction than threat. And most importantly, their marriage is still as rock-solid as it has ever been.
