Joy Reid says JD Vance could ditch wife Usha for 'White queen' Erika Kirk to secure MAGA support

Joy Reid speculated that JD Vance might not be accepted by the Republican base as the political heir to Trump because his wife was a 'Brown Hindu'
PUBLISHED NOV 26, 2025
Joy Reid hinted that JD Vance's public closeness to Erika Kirk could signal an effort to reshape his political image (Screengrab/I've Had It podcast, Getty Images)
Joy Reid hinted that JD Vance's public closeness to Erika Kirk could signal an effort to reshape his political image (Screengrab/I've Had It podcast, Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: Former MSNBC host Joy Reid suggested that Vice President JD Vance could ditch his wife, Usha Vance, for "White queen" Erika Kirk, which would be a strategic political move to consolidate conservative bases around him.

Reid speculated that Vance might not be the 2028 heir apparent to President Donald Trump because GOP supporters would not accept someone like Usha Vance as first lady.

Joy Reid says JD Vance is 'throwing his wife under the bus'

Joy Reid said during the 'I’ve Had It' podcast, "They can't have the successor to MAGA be the guy with the Brown Hindu wife. They're also Christian nationalists. That ain't going to work. That's why he's throwing his wife under the bus. Poor Usha. Or she's in on it."

"Playing slap and tickle with Erika Kirk, it's the weirdest s**t I've ever seen," she added. Meanwhile, co-host Jennifer Welch said, "I’ve had it. She's like in her Tammy Faye era."

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - OCTOBER 29: Erika Kirk and U.S. Vice President JD Vance embrace at the Pavilion at Ole Miss on the campus of the University of Mississippi on October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. Thousands attended the Turning Point USA event to honor Kirk's husband, the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Photo by Brad Vest/Getty Images)
Erika Kirk and Vice President JD Vance embrace at the Pavilion at Ole Miss on the campus of the University of Mississippi on October 29, 2025, in Oxford, Mississippi (Brad Vest/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Reid said in surprise, "Holding on the back of his head and rubbing on his head", and added that she would be suspicious if a woman held her husband like that, as she referred to how Erika Kirk embraced the VP at a Turning Point event in October.

Talking about Erika Kirk, Reid said, "You not doing that right thing. [You're] supposed to be a widow, you in leather pants? That's not widow wear."

Reid then suggested that Vance ditching his current wife for Erika would be a strategic political move to consolidate the GOP base around him. 

Erika Kirk and U.S. Vice President JD Vance embrace at the Pavilion at Ole Miss on the campus of the University of Mississippi on October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. Thousands attended the Turning Point USA event to honor Kirk's husband, the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Brad Vest/Getty Images)
Erika Kirk and Vice President JD Vance embrace at the Pavilion at Ole Miss on the campus of the University of Mississippi on October 29, 2025, in Oxford, Mississippi (Brad Vest/Getty Images)

She asked, "Wouldn't it be the most perfect fairy tale, MAGA fairy tale, if he finally sees the light that he needs a White queen instead of this Brown Hindu?" adding, "I mean, I'm not saying that's happening, or maybe that Usha is not even in on it."

Notably, Reid's show was canceled in February by MSNBC. She now hosts 'The Joy Reid Show' on YouTube.

Erika Kirk defends her viral JD Vance hug with self-aware joke

Erika​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Kirk responded to comments on the internet after an intimate onstage hug with Vice President JD Vance, and joked that if she had grabbed his a** she would have gotten "less hate".

On 'The Megyn Kelly Show,' Kirk explained the gesture as her "love language" and also gave a detailed, step-by-step, emotional, personal, and heartfelt account of the moment to the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌audience.



At​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ a Turning Point USA event on October 29 in Mississippi, Kirk called Vance to the stage after talking about her late husband. After the hug, she pressed her palm softly against the back of his head and said, "God bless you," which, according to her, is a normal thing she does when hugging very close friends.

She remembered the moment in a more peaceful manner than the audience with Kelly, saying that she was in tears and very sad when they ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌hugged.

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