Questions about the marriage of Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, intensified this week after the second lady appeared without her wedding ring during a holiday-season event at Joint Base Andrews. Standing beside First Lady Melania Trump as they assembled care packages for military families, Usha's ringless left hand immediately drew attention online, reviving speculation that began after a similar public appearance last month.
The event was designed to spotlight support for deployed service members, but scrutiny quickly shifted to Usha's bare finger as images circulated on social platforms. Observers noted that her earlier visit to Camp Lejeune, where she joined Melania Trump for meetings with military families, marked the first time she was photographed without her ring. That moment seeded the first round of divorce rumors that have since gained momentum.
Usha's spokesperson previously attempted to neutralize the chatter, saying she is "a mother of three young children, who does a lot of dishes, gives lots of baths, and forgets her ring sometimes." The explanation dampened speculation only briefly. Her latest appearance without the band, just weeks later, reignited suspicion among political watchers who increasingly view the pattern as intentional rather than incidental.
Fueling the renewed interest is a widely discussed moment involving JD Vance himself. At an Oct. 29 Turning Point USA event, the vice president received an introduction from Erika Kirk, widow of conservative personality Charlie Kirk. "No one will ever replace my husband. But I do see some similarities of my husband in JD - in Vice President JD Vance. I do. And that's why I am so blessed to be able to introduce him tonight," she told the crowd.
As Vance walked onto the stage, the two shared an embrace that quickly went viral. Footage showed Erika placing a hand on the back of his head while his hands rested briefly on her waist - images that prompted instant debate over tone and boundaries. "I have (male) friends I've known for decades, and I have never hugged them like that," one user on X wrote, adding commentary on Erika's attire: "Also thought the same thing about the pleather pants, very inappropriate. I wear pleather pants, but you have to know when/where to wear them."
Body language analyst Traci Brown, speaking to Radar, said the interaction suggested unusual closeness. She stated that Vance and Erika are "super close," adding, "Or she wants to be super close. And he's not saying no, right? If I were Usha... I would have liked to be a fly on the wall in the car ride home."
The episode revived discussion of earlier remarks Vance made about his wife's Hindu upbringing and their choice to raise their children in his Christian faith. Responding to a student's question about "teaching your kids not to keep your religion ahead of their mother's religion," Vance said, "Everybody has to come to their own arrangement here. The way that we've come to our arrangement is she's my best friend. We talk to each other about this stuff. So, we've decided to raise our kids Christian."
He added that Usha attends church with him "most Sundays" and described his hope that she might convert. "Yeah, honestly, I do wish that, because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way," Vance said. "But if she doesn't, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesn't cause a problem for me."
