Former US President Donald Trump on Monday (15 July) picked JD Vance, a first-time senator from Ohio, as his running mate and nominee for the Vice-President post.
JD Vance, 40 years younger to Trump, is making global headlines not just for his selection in the race for VP but also for his Indian connection. His wife Usha Vance (nee Chilukuri) is the daughter of Indian immigrants to the US and brings with her a deep connection to India and also the legacy of Indian culture and values.
Usha Vance’s parents hail from Andhra Pradesh, who migrated to the United States decades ago. Born and brought up in the US, Usha holds an impressive educational background, having graduated from top-notch American institutes. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Yale University and then pursued Master’s in Philosophy from Cambridge University.
She also has a distinguished career, with professional engagements across multiple segments. She clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Usha and JD Vance met at the Yale Law School and it was there that they developed a close affinity for each other. They got married in Kentucky in 2014 and together they have three children.
Usha Vance also made some rare appearances along with her husband as the latter campaigned for the Ohio senator election in 2022.
In a 2017 interview, she told NBC News how they met, “We were friends, and I liked that he was very diligent. He would show up at 9 AM appointments that I would set up for us to start working on the brief together.”
JD Vance, in the same interview, praised Usha for unflinching faith and commitment in things that she believed.
MAGA makes racist attacks against JD Vance’s wife
Washington, D.C. — supporters of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement have launched racist attacks against U.S. Senator JD Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, sparking outrage and calls for the condemnation of such behavior.… pic.twitter.com/uC2i447tJD
— Kenny Akers (@KeneAkers) July 17, 2024
“The thing that I remember most about Usha is just how completely forward and comfortable with herself she was. She is so defensive about the things that she really cared about,” Vance said in the interview.
With US Presidential elections slated for November this year, the campaign has already reached a feverish pitch. The US elections will unequivocally be watched and followed here, given the likely Republican VP nominee’s Indian connection.
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