WASHINGTON – President Trump delivers his first State of the Union Address in his second term. Vice President J.D. Vance, who has previously self-described himself as a “Never-Trumper” just nine years ago, will attend alongside President Trump.
Who is J.D. Vance?
The backstory:
J.D. Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio on Aug. 2, 1984. He attended Ohio State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy. He then went on to Yale Law School where he earned his law degree.
Vance served in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom before entering the political arena.
The new vice president also became a best-selling author with his novel, “Hillbilly Elegy,” in 2016. The book launched him into the political spotlight due to his ability to explain Trump’s appeal to the white working class. It was then turned into a Netflix movie featuring Gabriel Basso, Amy Adams and Glenn Close in 2020.
The 41-year-old’s memoir, published the same year Trump was elected, covered the childhood years he spent in Jackson, Kentucky, raised by his “Mamaw” and “Papaw” as his mother battled drug addiction.
In a 2016 interview about his book, Vance told a reporter that although his background would have made him a natural Trump supporter.
“I’m definitely not gonna vote for Trump because I think that he’s projecting very complex problems onto simple villains. He is the most raw expression of a massive finger pointed at other people,” he said.
Vance went on to serve as a U.S. senator for the state of Ohio beginning in 2023. He resigned his post as senator to become vice president on Jan. 10, 2025.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: Usha Vance and Vice President-elect, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) arrive for service at St. John’s Church as part of Inauguration ceremonies on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second t
Vance married his wife, Usha Vance, in 2014. Together, they have three children and are expecting a fourth. Here’s a look at his family:
Who is Usha Vance?
What we know:
Usha Vance is 40 years old, born on Jan. 6, 1986 in San Diego. Reuters reports that her family moved to the U.S. in the late 70’s and teach engineering and molecular biology in San Diego.
Usha Vance is a the Second Lady of the United States and a former attorney. She served as a clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts before working for the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson. She left her role at the law firm in July after her husband became the vice presidential nominee for the GOP.
Usha and J.D. Vance met at Yale Law School and have been married since 2014. In his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” J.D. Vance said the two got to know each other through a class assignment, where he soon “fell hard” for his writing partner.
After law school, she spent a year clerking for Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he served as an appeals court judge in Washington, followed by a year as a law clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts.
What She’s Said:
Usha Vance has said she grew up in a significantly different environment from her husband. The daughter of Indian immigrants, she was born and raised in San Diego.
“My background is very different from JD’s. I grew up in San Diego, in a middle-class community with two loving parents, both immigrants from India, and a wonderful sister,” she said at the Republican National Convention. “That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country.”
WEST PALM BEACH, FL – NOVEMBER 5: Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) gets off the campaign plane with his wife Usha and children Vivek, left, Ewan, center, and Mirabel as they arrive for the election night party with Republ
Who are Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel Vance? How old are J.D. Vance’s kids?
What we know:
J.D. and Usha Vance have three kids together: Ewan Vance, Vivek Vance and Mirabel Vance.
Ewan is 8 years old, Vivek is 5 years old, and Mirabel is 3 years old.
The couple announced in January 2026 that they are expecting a fourth child, a son, due in July.
The couple keeps their children largely out of the spotlight and there are not many photos of the kids.
Who is Beverly Aikins?
What we know:
J.D. Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, is from Middletown, Ohio. Vance wrote about his upbringing in his memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy.’
Aikins struggled with addiction, which Vance wrote about in his memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy.’ In the book, he talks about his childhood and upbringing in Ohio.
What She’s Said:
“It was heartbreaking in some parts,” said Aikins to the New York Times on reading the book. “But it helped us grow as a family, and it opened up a line of communication that we never really had. Addiction in our house was like the elephant in the room. Nobody ever said anything about it. We do now.”
The Source: Congressional Biographical Directory, The Associated Press and Reuters
