From Appalachian roots to the Naval Observatory — JD Vance’s second act comes with Secret Service playmates, toddler military briefings, and one determined Second Lady.
They may live in one of the most secure residences in America, but inside the gates of the Vice President’s home, it’s still snack time, sibling squabbles, and bedtime stories.
Vice President JD Vance sat down with Fox News Digital this week to talk about the real adjustment behind his new title — not in the Situation Room, but in the living room.
“We’re trying to deliver as much normalcy to the kids in a very abnormal situation,” he said.
And let’s just say: mission (mostly) accomplished.
“He has a bunch of Secret Service agents to play with…”
Vance’s three kids — Ewan (7), Vivek (5), and Mirabel (3) — are taking their new reality in wildly different strides.
“Ewan is adjusting, but he’s also aware of all of it,” the VP explained.
“Vivek… he thinks it’s just fun. He has a bunch of Secret Service agents to play with, and he gets to go wherever he wants to. He really likes that.”
“And Mirabel? She has no idea what’s going on.”
But Mirabel may be stealing hearts already. The Vances’ favorite family photo from their first 100 days in office? Their daughter in pajamas, ‘reviewing’ a photo of an Indian troop formation.
“It’s so funny,” JD Vance said with a laugh. “It might be my favorite picture of all.”
From Middletown to the Mansion
Just a few years ago, JD Vance wasn’t navigating D.C. protocol — he was a bestselling author from working-class Ohio, known for Hillbilly Elegy, his raw memoir about growing up in poverty and chasing opportunity through Yale Law School.
Now? He’s raising kids on the grounds of the Naval Observatory, America’s vice presidential residence.
“It’s very isolated, which is nice,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like growing up in a fishbowl. There aren’t cameras everywhere. It’s private—very normal for the kids—which is all we could ask for.”
The family still maintains their home in Cincinnati, but for now, Washington is home base — with “a good school situation” and even playdates at the White House.
Meet Second Lady Usha Vance
Usha Vance may not have a rulebook, but she’s quickly becoming a force of her own. According to JD, she’s leaning into both motherhood and mission.
“There’s not a manual that says, ‘this is how you will be Second Lady,’” he said.
“She’s focused on issues she cares about… she’s very involved in the Kennedy Center and really likes the arts.”
With three young kids and a growing public role, Usha is proving you can absolutely do both.
“She saw this as an opportunity to deliver normalcy to the kids. She’s doing well, and she really likes it. She’s amazing.”
From bedtime photos that could go viral to Secret Service hide-and-seek, life in the Vance household might be unusual—but it’s also refreshingly real.
And as one toddler reviews military formations in her pajamas, America’s Second Family reminds us: no matter how powerful the address, family still comes first.