With 4 children and 2028 speculation swirling, Usha Vance weighs JD's next move

Second Lady Usha Vance said the family took politics 'one step at a time', with JD Vance focused on midterms and her on her duties
Between a newborn, bedtime stories, and public life, Second Lady Usha Vance offers a rare glimpse into how the vice president's family is navigating change (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Between a newborn, bedtime stories, and public life, Second Lady Usha Vance offers a rare glimpse into how the vice president's family is navigating change (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Second Lady Usha Vance has offered a personal response to the growing speculation over whether Vice President JD Vance could seek the presidency in 2028, saying the family is keeping an “open mind and open heart” about what comes next while focusing on their lives today.

In an interview on Fox & Friends that aired on Wednesday, August 26, Usha said her husband's immediate attention remains on the upcoming midterm elections. 

Her comments come as JD Vance is regularly mentioned as a potential Republican contender for the White House after President Donald Trump's term.

For Usha, however, the conversation is unfolding alongside a much more immediate reality: the couple recently welcomed their fourth child and is adjusting to life as a family of six.

Second lady Usha Vance arrives on Marine Two at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Saturday, June 20, 2026, en route to Switzerland.
Second Lady Usha Vance arrives on Marine Two at Joint Base Andrews, Md, Saturday, June 20, 2026, en route to Switzerland (Pool Photo via AP)

Usha Vance keeps the future open

Asked about her husband's potential presidential ambitions, Usha did not rule out the possibility while making clear that no immediate decision was being discussed.

“My way of thinking about it is we just take things one step at a time,” she said.

She said JD Vance is currently focused on the midterms, while she is concentrating on the work and responsibilities she has taken on during their four years in office.



Usha said the family had experienced significant changes before and learned to adapt along the way.

“Whatever it is that he feels is the right thing for him to do, we’re going to have a good time doing it,” she said, adding that they would “make the best of it in the best possible way.”

The vice president has also sought to keep the focus on his current role when asked about his political future.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 22:   Vice President JD Vance looks at U.S. President Donald Trump as he talks in the Oval Office  August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center.   (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Vice President JD Vance looks at President Donald Trump as he talks in the Oval Office August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

A new baby changes everything

The couple's youngest child, Alex, was born last month, becoming the fourth child in the Vance family.

Usha spoke warmly about the newest addition, describing him as a relaxed baby and saying the family has been sleeping relatively well.

“He’s a great newborn,” she said, joking that he “must know his place in the world because he’s a fourth child.”



JD Vance recently made a similar joke about the couple's growing family, recalling that Usha had once suggested he might have to choose between becoming vice president and having a fourth child.

At a recent event in Maine, the vice president said he had ultimately managed to have both.

The family's youngest member has arrived during a period when the Vances are already adjusting to the demands and visibility that come with life in the vice president's residence.

Family life continues at home



Despite the attention surrounding the vice president's political future, Usha's interview also offered a glimpse into the family's routines away from Washington's political debates.

She said JD Vance has been reading 'The Hobbit' to their children at bedtime, while she has continued to promote efforts aimed at encouraging child literacy.

The comments highlighted a side of the second family's life that is rarely part of the political conversation surrounding a possible 2028 campaign.



Usha's remarks also suggest that, for now, the family is not allowing speculation about a future presidential race to dominate their day-to-day lives.

What comes next for the Vances

JD Vance has frequently appeared near the top of early discussions about the Republican Party's potential 2028 candidates, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio also emerging as a prominent name.

President Trump has publicly discussed both men as possible future leaders of the party, keeping attention on the question of who could eventually succeed him.

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