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Vice President JD Vance on Thursday forcefully pushed back against persistent rumors of marital trouble with second lady Usha Vance, calling speculation over her missing wedding ring "ridiculous" while acknowledging the intense public scrutiny has tested their family.
In an exclusive NBC News interview, Vance laughed off the controversy that erupted after Usha Vance was photographed without her wedding ring on multiple occasions, including alongside First Lady Melania Trump.
"I think that we kind of get a kick out of it," Vance said. "With anything in life, you take the good with the bad. You accept that there are some sacrifices and there are some very good things that come along with it, too. But our marriage is as strong as it’s ever been, and I think Usha’s really taken to it, and it’s been kind of cool to see how she’s developed and evolved in this new role."
The 41-year-old vice president revealed the couple deliberately left the rings behind during one rushed departure for a White House event.
"She was like, 'Oh, if I don’t go back and get them, there’s going to be some ridiculous psycho who talks about it on social media,'" Vance recounted. "And I was like, 'Let them. It’s not even worth the trip to run back upstairs.' So we actually have a little bit of fun with it. And we thought that whole viral social media cycle was kind of funny."
Earlier explanations from a spokesperson said Usha Vance "does a lot of dishes, gives lots of baths, and forgets her ring sometimes."
The rumors gained traction last month after Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, declared at a memorial event that “there’s only one man who could ever compare to Charlie, and that’s JD Vance," before embracing the vice president and running her fingers through his hair.
At the same event, Vance told the audience he had repeatedly urged his Hindu-raised wife to convert to Christianity, saying, "I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope that eventually my wife comes to see it the same way."
Vance later clarified on X that "She is not Christian and has no plans to convert."
The couple, married since 2014, have three young children.
Usha Vance has largely stayed out of the spotlight but recently launched a childhood literacy initiative that her husband praised enthusiastically.
"I think that when you’re in love with somebody, you’re always sort of curious what they get attached to and what they get to be interested in," Vance said. "It’s been amazing to see her really lean into this child literacy thing. And I think it speaks very highly of her."
Sources close to the second couple insist the marriage remains solid despite the unrelenting gossip cycle that has shadowed the administration’s No. 2 family.
For now, the vice president says the Vances are treating the ring-gate chatter as little more than comic relief in an otherwise high-pressure job.
