Mike Johnson & His Wife Kelly Look Even More Awkward In Public Than JD & Usha Vance

When it comes to uncomfortably cringe couple photos, JD Vance and his wife, Usha, have appeared in more than their fair share of awkward snaps. However, despite being polar opposites in some aspects of their lives, and being haunted by persistent divorce rumors, the Vances look downright cozy when compared to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and his wife, Kelly. The Christian conservative politician has posed alongside his wife for photos posted to social media numerous times, and they almost always look more like complete strangers than a couple who have been married since 1999.

In nearly every photo Mike posts of himself and Kelly, the pair are almost never in physical contact with each another in any way. When Mike took to Instagram on July 4, 2025, to share a beaming photo of himself and Kelly at a fireworks display, they were seated side by side, but seemed to be actively and awkwardly avoiding touching each other. But at least in that photo, they were next to one another. In an Instagram pic from Super Bowl LIX, the couple posed with Donald Trump, who stood in between the pair, flashing a thumbs up. 

Mike and Kelly posed for a photo posted on Instagram with JD and Usha back in January 2025, shortly after the inauguration, and proved just how awkward they could be. While JD looked casual and even normal, with his arm around Usha's shoulder, Mike stood fully in front of and separate from Kelly, as if this dinner was the first time either of them had ever met. It seems like their uncanny couple snapshots are just another glaring red flag in Mike and Kelly Johnson's long, strange love story.

Mike Johnson is a staunch and outspoken Christian conservative. He's also drawn some heat for the way in which he's spoken about his wife's role in his life, and some of his more old-school conservative values when it comes to marriage. Mike and his wife, Kelly, tied the knot in 1999 in an unconventional covenant marriage. This is a specific type of marriage, legally recognized in only a handful of states, that makes getting divorced much more difficult than in a traditional marriage. Divorces can only be sought under specific circumstances, including abuse and adultery, and would have to be proven in order for the divorce to be granted.

"My wife and I both come from traditional Christian households," Mike said of his covenant marriage in an interview with ABC News back in 2005. "My own parents are divorced. As anyone who goes through that knows, that was a traumatic thing for our whole family." Kelly herself seemed to see it as a sign of Mike's devotion, telling the news outlet that it "really shows me that he wants it to be forever.'" She also said that it would be a "red flag" if a man was hesitant to enter into a covenant marriage.

However, a red flag for some is how Mike has seemingly referred to Kelly as a status symbol and coveted accessory. Mike, who shares four children with his wife, commemorated their 25th anniversary in May 2024 on Instagram with yet another awkward photo from their wedding (in a pose that looked like an '80s prom pic), along with a telling bible quote: "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband." Nothing says love like referring to your partner as a literal trophy-like object.