How JD Vance & Wife Usha's India Trip Escalated Those Rocky Marriage Rumors

No one's really looking to the vice president and second lady for relationship inspo, but considering JD Vance's old-school views on marriage, you'd think he and his wife, Usha Vance, would at least act like a picture-perfect couple. Instead, their relationship seems to be fraying at the seams — and their recent trip to India only added fuel to the fire. All the signs that their marriage is in trouble may be true, after all.

The couple flew to India with their three rarely-seen kids, marking the first time in 12 years that someone tied to the veep's office made the trip. What's more, Usha, the first Indian-American second lady, had the added personal connection of visiting her family's homeland. Their trip, though, was anything but perfect — and not because of JD's hilariously greasy forehead. For one, their public appearances showed the couple more focused on wrangling their kids than on each other. For another, their disconnect at the end of it all was palpable, with Usha showing signs that she was at her wit's end. Instead of feeling grateful and soaking in the moment, she looked like she couldn't board their private plane fast enough. And who could blame her? When your partner looks like he's sulking through the tour, it's not exactly romantic.

Of course, they're not addressing any of this. But with signs piling up and awkwardness on full display, it's hard not to speculate. Maybe JD didn't love being background noise to his wife's spotlight moment?

If Usha Vance had a miserable time in India, she certainly didn't let it show on Instagram. Instead, she gushed about the experience altogether. "It was a great joy to visit India with my family and to experience this part of our heritage through their eyes. Thank you for the warm welcome, and looking forward to our next trip to this vibrant country!" she wrote.

And maybe she really did enjoy herself. After all, JD Vance himself admitted she was treated like royalty while he pretty much faded into the background. "My wife Usha is a bit of a celebrity in India, much more so than me," he joked. Then again, there's something about the way he said it that makes you wonder if he was really joking, especially since at the time, he was dealing with his own awkward moment: the Pope had died just one day after they met in Italy. The internet, of course, wasted no time pinning the blame (in jest, mostly) on him. But he brushed it off and paid his respects on X, formerly Twitter: "I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I'll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul." Between the memes, the jokes, and Usha's rising profile, however, you can't help but wonder if he's feeling a little upstaged.

As for their marriage?JD once joked that Usha is basically his personal hype woman. "Here's the thing, the cameras are all on. Anything I say, no matter how crazy, my wife Usha has to smile, laugh, and celebrate it," he said during a trip to Michigan, notes the Daily Beast. Take from that what you will.