JD Vance jokes about swapping VP role with Karoline Leavitt for ‘a couple of weeks’
🔥 LMAO! JD VANCE: "I told Karoline I would stand in for her today for the White House press briefing on the condition that when Usha has our baby in July, that she would be Vice President for a couple of weeks."
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 19, 2026
VP Karoline Leavitt? I'm in 🤣 pic.twitter.com/zbrAUqCjl0
WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance caused a light-hearted moment in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, May 19, by joking that press secretary Karoline Leavitt should fill his job when his wife gives birth.
VP Vance stood in for Leavitt at the podium once again because she is currently on maternity leave after having her second child earlier this month.
JD Vance reveals a funny deal made with the press secretary
Opening the briefing, Vance praised Leavitt and wished her well as she spends time at home with her family.
“It’s cool to be here. I want to give a shout out, of course, to the person I am replacing today, Karoline Leavitt, who hopefully is at home enjoying some time with her beautiful kids,” Vance said.
He then told the room about a funny deal he made with Leavitt before agreeing to take over her press duties.
“I told Karoline I would stand in for her today for the White House press briefing on the condition that when Usha has our baby in July, she would be vice president for a couple of weeks,” Vance said, drawing laughter from the room.
Leavitt gave birth to her daughter, Viviana, on May 1
Announcing the news on Instagram, she wrote, “She is here, and she is perfect.”
Leavitt and her husband Nicholas Riccio also share a son named Niko, who was born in July 2024.
Reports noted that Leavitt delayed the start of her maternity leave after an attempted attack targeting President Donald Trump near the time of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
She officially stepped away from her duties in late April. With this pregnancy, she made history as the first sitting White House press secretary to become pregnant while serving in the role.
Vance family prepares to welcome their fourth child this July
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, announced in January that they are expecting their fourth child, another baby boy, who is due in late July.
The couple already shares three children named Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel.
Earlier this year, Usha spoke to NBC News about the challenge of balancing her pregnancy with her public role as the Second Lady of the United States.
She noted that her previous experience with pregnancy was much more private and casual.
“My last pregnancy, there were a lot of sweat pants,” she said. “I was working from home.”
