JD Vance & Wife Usha's Holiday Trips Feel More Like Desperate 'Save-Cations'

Marriage stress has followed Vice President JD Vance and wife Usha Vance on their numerous vacations, with the second couple making headlines for globetrotting excursions that may not be as idyllic as they appear. In April 2025, the pair went on a family vacation to India along with their three kids. "It really was the trip of a lifetime for us," Usha told Open Magazine in June. While that's how SLOTUS described it on the record, Usha's behavior leaving India hinted that she was at her wit's end with her husband. The Vances had a stopover at an air force base in Germany while they were making their way home from India. Footage of the family on the tarmac was shared online, and Usha was seen rushing to board the plane while leaving JD behind.

More possible marital tension arose when Usha and JD went on a trip to the United Kingdom in August. Unfortunately for Usha, spending alone time was not a priority for JD on that trip, with the vice president seen chumming it up with a couple of his mates across the pond. Influencer Thomas Skinner uploaded a snap of himself and the VP "after a few beers" at a barbecue to X, formerly Twitter. Usha was noticeably absent from the shot, just as she was throughout much of the trip. 

During that same visit, Usha went with JD to visit British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The British politician uploaded an Instagram carousel that included a group shot with the Vances, but also pictures of him and JD laughing together and yucking it up while fishing without their wives. Usha hardly felt like the veep's priority on that trip, so it's no wonder that rumors of friction between the Vances have spread. Nicki Swift spoke to a divorce expert to see if there were any red flags in the couple's travel tendencies.

Despite the couple have been on numerous vacations and state trips, rumors have swirled that JD Vance and Usha Vance have an unhappy marriage. Kimberly Miller (JD, CFP®, LMFT), founder and chief divorce educator at PartWise, spoke to Nicki Swift about what frequent vacations could mean for the second couple. "Sometimes, couples turn to travel as a way to reconnect, escape routine, or create positive shared memories, especially during busy times or phases of relational stress," Miller said. Speaking about couples in general, the divorce educator discussed how taking trips can help relationships, at least up to a certain point. "I see vacations as a tool, not a solution," Miller said, adding, "A change of scenery can help partners shift out of daily stress modes and engage more meaningfully with each other."

Unfortunately for couples hoping that "save-cations" can be a fix-all, Miller said it takes much more work than simply going on trips. "If both partners are emotionally open and willing to reconnect, travel can help reignite curiosity and joy," she told Nicki Swift. "It's common that meaningful connections start with small, intentional efforts at home," Miller added.

The Vances have been eager to change things up by traveling, but it appears they have not made those "efforts at home" that the divorce expert mentioned. JD and Usha had a reported public spat about their lack of quality time together while out for dinner in July. Influencer Suzanne Lambert shared screenshots of messages from a person who purported to be a server at the restaurant where JD and Usha were dining. Reportedly, instead of fully embracing their time together, the second lady voiced her complaints about their relationship. "This is what our life should actually be like," Usha supposedly told JD.