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JD Vance faces criticism for tepid response to attacks on wife Usha’s Indian ethnicity

NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT

Washington, DC, July 29, 2024: Senator JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate for Vice President, has come under scrutiny for his response to white supremacist attacks targeting his wife, Usha Vance, due to her Indian heritage. During an interview on Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM show, Vance acknowledged the racist comments but stopped short of condemning them.

“Look, I love my wife so much. I love her because she’s who she is,” Vance said. “Obviously, she’s not a white person, and we’ve been accused — attacked — by some white supremacists over that. But I just — I love Usha. She’s such a good mom, she’s such a brilliant lawyer and I’m so proud of her.”

Critics have pointed out that while Vance expressed love and pride for his wife, he did not explicitly denounce the white supremacist attacks.

Vance has previously faced backlash for a 2021 comment targeting “childless” Democrats, which he recently described as “sarcastic.” In the same interview, he mentioned that his wife’s experiences have provided him with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by working families in America.

Kaivan Shroff, a Democratic commentator, tweeted: “Obviously she’s not a white person…but I love Usha, she’s such a good mom.” Honestly this is such a weird way to respond to white supremacist attacks on your Indian American wife. Pathetic.

According to The Hill’s write-up of this, “Vance has not publicly condemned the [white supremacist] attacks, and in his comments Friday he was more critical of liberal commentators who have blasted his past comments about traditional family & gender roles.”

Some responses to Shroff’s tweet included:

  • @KaivanShroff, you are totally right. I found the “defense” of his wife weak at best and apparently did not call out the racism. We’ve seen that with other Republican leaders, including McConnell. Not what I’d expect from a spouse or partner.
  • So – when the violent comments against your wife are coming from your own side, that’s a conundrum for you? It’s got a real DeSantis/Cruz vibe. Conservative men throw their wives under the bus regularly, it seems.
  • I wonder how long his marriage will survive his accepting these attacks. Chipping away at the foundation of trust, if they have that.
  • Like Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley – she too must live in denial of her heritage. Such a rich one to obliterate.

His comments come after Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist who once dined with Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) and Trump at the Republican presidential nominee’s Mar-a-Lago estate, attacked Usha Vance earlier this month.

“Who is this guy, really? Do we really expect that the guy who has an Indian wife and named their kid Vivek is going to support white identity?” Fuentes said.

Usha Vance, a lawyer and child of Indian immigrants, could become the first Indian American to be second lady if the Trump-Vance ticket wins in November.

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