Usha Vance says disagreements with JD Vance make room for “open-minded” talks as her podcast nears launch

usha vance said Friday in Washington that she and Vice President JD Vance “don’t always see eye to eye, ” but she described their disagreements as creating space for “open-minded” conversations. The second lady spoke in a 30-minute interview recorded in her new studio, just ahead of the premiere of her podcast, “Storytime With the Second Lady, ” set for Monday. She also addressed questions about her role at home and in politics, including whether a 2028 run is part of their private discussions and how their family is preparing for another child.

Disagreements, boundaries, and a marriage that includes politics

In the interview, Usha Vance drew a firm line between her personal relationship with the vice president and the professional infrastructure around him, emphasizing that she is not part of his formal operation. “I’m not his staffer. I’m not involved in this in any professional sense. … There’s no expectation that we are going to see eye to eye on everything, ” she said.

She described her approach as focused on conversation and support, even when their views do not align. “The expectation is that we are going to be open-minded and have a conversation, and that I’ll provide meaningful input from, you know, the perspective of someone who loves him and wants him to succeed, ” she said. “So even if we don’t agree, it’s — I think it’s always very productive. ”

Usha Vance calls herself a trusted adviser when issues feel personal

Usha Vance said she considers herself a trusted adviser to her husband, particularly when he is taking a position on an issue that is “important personally. ” She described frequent conversations aimed at understanding what is weighing on him and what he is focused on.

“There are conversations all the time, ” she said. “I do really like to understand what’s going on in his world, what he’s really focused on, what concerns he has, because it’s a marriage. I mean, I want to be supportive of him, and if I don’t really know what’s going on, then I can’t do that. ”

She added that while the vice president has an entire staff of policy advisers, he turns to her in moments that are less about staff work and more about personal processing. She said he comes to her “when something is troubling him” or “when he really wants to talk through something that feels more, kind of, intensely personal or important personally. ”

Podcast launch Monday, and a family milestone expected in July

The second lady’s comments came as she prepared to launch “Storytime With the Second Lady, ” a podcast she said she felt strongly about creating to encourage young readers. The interview took place in her new studio ahead of the show’s Monday premiere.

She also spoke about family decisions, including the Vances’ announcement in late January that they are expecting their fourth child, a boy, in July. The interview noted that JD and Usha Vance would be the first vice presidential family in modern history to welcome a child while in office.

2028 questions pushed aside as focus stays on the midterms

Asked about whether her husband plans to run for president in 2028, Usha Vance said it is not a priority in their current private conversations, even as he is widely expected to run. She said he is focused on the midterm elections and the demands of the moment.

“JD is very focused on the midterm elections right now, on all the things that are happening right this moment, which are obviously exceedingly important, ” she said. “And so if you come back in 2027 and ask me, I’ll have a better sense of, you know, what he’s thinking in that way. But that’s not the priority in our conversations. ”

The interview also referenced a December remark from the vice president that he would not decide whether to run for president until after the 2026 midterm elections. In that earlier interview, he said he tries not to wake up thinking about his future and instead focuses on doing the job, adding that he has tried to steer away from the 2028 conversation so the future does not come at the expense of his current role.