Usha Vance Looks Miserable During Family Outing With JD (& We Don't Blame Her)

JD Vance and Usha Vance's marriage has come under a ton of scrutiny. Divorce rumors abounded after JD's Mother's Day post on social media, which was super generic and didn't even namecheck Usha. In contrast, for Father's Day, Usha tagged JD in her Instagram post, and specifically mentioned all the things he was doing with their children that day. She also posted three photos of JD and their kids. In a June 2025 interview with Meghan McCain, things got even more awkward when Usha revealed a strange disconnect with JD, revealing that they aren't necessarily in sync with how many kids they ultimately want. Now, to top things off, as Usha, JD, and their kids watched a recent sporting event, the second lady appeared rather downcast at moments. 

The Vances were in Cincinnati, Ohio to attend a FIFA Club World Cup game. In one photo, Usha looked down at her lap while JD chatted with a man sitting beside him. In another, JD had moved over one seat, leaving Usha sitting alone. She rested her chin on one hand, seemingly holding a champagne flute in the other, and looked like she was wishing she could be anywhere else.

Michael Regan – Fifa/Getty

However, Usha's misery could simply have been weather-related. Ohio was impacted by the heat dome that caused record-breaking temperatures in numerous localities. At the game, high humidity added to the discomfort of the 93-degree day. To make matters worse, the game reportedly lacked excitement and was low scoring.

Now that she's second lady, Usha Vance's life has changed dramatically, including family trips. At the soccer game, Secret Service snipers were positioned on a ledge above her family's seats, which also could have put a damper on the vibes of their viewing experience.

Besides the necessity of Secret Service, the Vances are in the media spotlight wherever they go, which is undoubtably a challenge when parenting three kids. This isn't the only time she's looked wiped out during an outing. In April 2025, she and JD Vance both looked worse for wear as they attended church on a trip to Vatican City. They both stared into the distance, each holding a tired kid on their lap. It's possible jet lag was catching up to them, which is hard enough to deal with, even when you're not the center of media attention.

Unfortunately, the stresses of political life may have taken a toll on the Vances as a couple, with Usha giving a sad update on their marital dynamics, noting that JD's busy schedule doesn't give them a lot of time together. In March 2025, the vice president only added to the cringe, telling a crowd in a clip from PBS News, "Because the cameras are all on, anything that I say, no matter how crazy, Usha has to smile and laugh and celebrate it" (via X). While Usha smiled and laughed at the time, it's possible that her attitude's changing, and she no longer feels compelled to be cheerful if she's just not feeling it, even when she's out in public.