Erika Kirk Rumors Overshadow Usha Vance's Milestone Birthday (Nice One, JD)

Affair rumors between JD Vance and Erika Kirk were all people could think about when the vice president posted about Usha Vance's milestone birthday. On January 6, JD took to X to celebrate SLOTUS' big day. "Happy Birthday to my darling Usha, who turns 40 today!" he wrote alongside a photo of the second couple deboarding Air Force Two. It was a charming photo — even if a little formal for the occasion — as Usha was seen gazing over at her husband while the two held hands walking down the steps together. The pic may have been sweet, but the message came off as cold.

Happy Birthday to my darling Usha, who turns 40 today! pic.twitter.com/cXo9c4bUyu

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 6, 2026

The brief tweet was reminiscent of JD's Mother's Day snub of Usha last year, when he posted an impersonal message to "all the moms out there" instead of naming his wife. In the replies to his birthday post, X users noted how JD had put in similarly minimal effort on the second lady's 40th.

Meanwhile, many members of the Twitterati used the post as an opportunity to roast JD over his rumored romance with Charlie Kirk's widow. "[W]here is erika kirk? is she still on the plane?" one jokingly asked. "Hmmmmmm. Not a RECENT photo I guess," someone tweeted, insinuating that JD and Usha's marriage had recently been on the rocks. "Poor Usha," another wrote while including pics of JD's controversial hug with Erika. Several X users joked that Erika would be upset to see the snap of the Vances looking at each other lovingly. "Erika Kirk is somewhere punching the air right now," a person tweeted. Prior to this, gossip about marital woes had reached such a fever pitch that Usha had addressed them weeks earlier.

Usha Vance attempted to downplay divorce/affair rumors about her and JD Vance when she spoke to USA Today in December. "I find that one of the really curious things about this life is that people really like to read the tea leaves, and there's a kind of an industry building stories about everything," she told the outlet. This came shortly after Usha had made headlines for being spotted out in public without her wedding ring. The second lady said that she and JD "find it kind of funny" to hear all the chatter surrounding their marriage.

A week after that interview, the vice president showed he was clearly aware of public perception. At Turning Point USA's AmericaFest, JD and Erika Kirk had a painfully awkward moment when she greeted him on stage. The Veep looked to minimize physical contact and extended his arm for a high five to greet Charlie Kirk's widow. She reciprocated the high five, but then leaned in and tried to grab a hug. Not wanting a repeat of their infamous embrace, JD kept his distance and leaned over for a brief hug while patting Erika on the back.

The subject of hugs was one that the Turning Point USA CEO continued to mention at the event. Erika kept affair rumors with JD alive at AmFest, as she referenced her and the Veep's viral moment, and the backlash that ensued. "You also learn some unexpected things, like the fact that Joy Reid probably needs a really, really good hug," Erika said during a speech, referencing political commentator Joy Reid's comments about her prolonged embrace with JD. "I'll even touch the back of your head," Erika added.