Usha Vance, the wife of Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance, has participated in her first media interview and defended her husband’s controversial comments. Speaking to Fox News, Mrs. Vance said the Vice Presidential Republican candidate’s “childless cat ladies” remarks had been taken too seriously and blown out of proportion. She added that her husband would “never, ever, ever want to say something to hurt someone who was trying to have a family.” Usha Vance added that there are also very good reasons why some people chose not to have children.
When Republican Vance was a Senate candidate in 2021, he spoke with Fox anchor Tucker Carlson and said that the Democratic Party was dominated by “childless cat ladies” who had no direct stake in America’s future. He specifically named Vice President Kamala Harris, Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
He has also separately stated that those without children are “sociopathic.”
Responding to subsequent criticisms, Mr. Vance said his detractors had focused on his “sarcasm” rather than this substantial point, which he stood by. He repeated his assertion that the Democratic Party is anti-children and anti-family.
On other occasions, Mr. Vance has called for parents to have more voting rights than those without children, arguing that everyone – including children – should have the right to vote, but parents should use their children’s votes until they reach adulthood.
Usha Vance told Ainsley Earhardt that she wishes people would spend more time looking at the context of her husband’s words, and described the “cat ladies” remarks as a “quip.” She said Mr. Vance was “really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country” and that policies often make it harder.
When asked about the controversies surrounding his running mate, Donald Trump agreed with Usha Vance and argued that the Ohio Senator was merely stressing the importance of family. However, during his interview with the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago, the former President dismissed Mr. Vance as unimportant.
The now-notorious Chicago event featured ABC reporter Rachel Scott, Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba, and Fox anchor Harris Faulkner. When Ms. Faulkner asked Donald Trump if Vance would be “ready on day one,” Trump stated that the Vice Presidential pick has “no impact.” Some commentators have suggested the remarks are a snub of Mr. Vance, and that Trump regrets his running mate decision.
Senior Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, have alluded that Donald Trump is experiencing “buyer’s remorse.” Schumer commented that the Republican would relish a time machine so he could go back and choose an alternative VP.
Mr. Shapiro described Vance as a “total phony baloney” who does not know what he believes in, making it “impossible for him to articulate a coherent message to the American people.”
Vice President Kamala Harris has not directly addressed Vance’s past remarks, but maintains that the Trump-Vance campaign is “weird.”
