While the world media focused on Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States, the news outlets and social media in India were abuzz with Usha Vance making history by becoming the first Indian American second lady.
“It was Usha Vance’s day,” Indian news website First Post commented.
“Holding the Bible in one hand and their daughter Mirabel Rose in the other, Usha stood beside her husband as he placed his left hand on the religious text, and raised his right hand to take the oath of office,” the news outlet added. “The Indian-American Second Lady beamed with pride as Vance repeated the oath after Justice Kavanaugh, never taking her eyes off him.”
Usha Vance, born Usha Chilukuri, met JD Vance at Yale Law School. San Dieg-born Usha is the child of Hindu Indian immigrants. Usha also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he served as an appellate judge.
Noting the incoming second lady’s professional achievements, Indian newspaper The Hindu reported: “As a lawyer who is the daughter of Indian immigrants— her parents’ ancestral village is Vadluru in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh— Ms. Usha is also one of the youngest second ladies assuming the position.”
“Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a mentor to Ms. Usha, administered the oath to her husband J.D.,” the daily added.
Many on social media slammed the DEI crowd for their conspicuous silence for the first Indian-origin second lady.
Country’s leading political weekly India Today was enamored by the Second Lady’s choice of apparel for the Inauguration Day:
Usha Vance, wife of Vice President-elect JD Vance, made a stunning impression on Inauguration Day, dressed in a bubblegum pink outfit. Married to JD Vance since 2014, she stood out during the historic occasion with her elegant presence. (…)Vice President JD Vance embraced the formal tone of the evening, wearing a classic tuxedo. Usha Vance captivated the crowd in a custom black velvet gown by Oscar de la Renta, featuring asymmetrical floral accents and a sweetheart neckline. Her ensemble combined timeless elegance with a modern flair, earning widespread admiration.
Other Indian media outlets reported glowingly about her appearance and demeanor. “The emotional moment, captured in a striking photograph, deeply resonated with audiences online,” the Indian TV channel Times Now. “Viewers were touched by Usha’s steady, affectionate gaze as she watched her husband take on one of the most significant roles in American politics.”
Indian business daily MINT reported President Trump’s praise for the second lady. “US President Donald Trump, during his inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2025, praised Usha Vance, the wife of newly sworn-in Vice President JD Vance, describing her as “smarter” than her husband,” the India daily noted. “Donald Trump remarked that he would have chosen Usha Vance as his Vice President if not for the “line of succession” not working in that direction.”
This reacting is in contrast to the kind of reception former Vice President Kamala Harris received from the Indians in the diaspora and at home. Trump was vastly popular among Indians, even the leftist media outlet acknowledged.
“A notable portion of Indians expressed support for now President-elect Donald Trump over Harris, even though her maternal lineage traces back to India,” the so-called LGBTQ magazine Washington Blade reported. Harris’s downplaying of her India heritage and projecting herself as the ‘first black women’ to run for the White House, in a bid to garner African American votes, angered many Indians.
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