Meet Usha Chilukuri Vance, Indian-origin litigator, wife of Donald Trump vice president pick

Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance was named the Republican vice presidential nominee by former President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) at the party’s convention in Milwaukee. JD Vance, who was once a Trump critic, said he had the full support of his Indian-origin wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, who was present at the convention. Let us know more about Usha Chilukuri Vance.

BIRTH AND EDUCATION

Usha was born in California and is the child of Indian immigrants, as per The New York Times. She grew up in the suburbs of San Diego.

She attended Mt Carmel High School located in Rancho Penasquitos, according to her LinkedIn profile.

MEETING JD VANCE AT YALE

Usha attended Yale Law School, where she met her future husband, JD Vance, in 2013. They worked together to organise a discussion group on the subject of “social decline in white America”, The New York Times reported.

The two quickly bonded soon after, with JD Vance often referring to Usha as his “Yale spirit guide”. They got married in 2014 after graduating from Yale Law School.

Usha holds a BA in history from Yale University and an MPhil in early modern history from the University of Cambridge.

During her time at Yale, Usha served as the executive development editor of the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law and Technology. She participated in the Supreme Court Advocacy Clinic, the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic and the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project, people.com reported.

JD Vance and Usha have had three children since their marriage in 2014 — two sons, Ewan and Vivek, and a daughter, Mirabel.

A SUPPORTIVE PARTNER

Usha has been instrumental in her husband’s political journey, often accompanying him to political events and providing guidance and support.

She has been involved in her husband’s political campaigns, including his successful Senate campaigns in 2016 and 2022. She has also been registered to vote as a Republican in Ohio since 2018. JD Vance has publicly acknowledged her influence, expressing gratitude for her role in shaping his decisions and opportunities.

SKILLED LITIGATOR

Usha is a skilled litigator who has worked at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in San Francisco and Washington DC first from 2015 to 2017, before serving as a law clerk for the US Supreme Court in 2018. She returned to Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in January 2019, according to people.com.

She has experience in complex civil litigation and appeals across various sectors, including education, government and healthcare.

Having a decorative career, Usha has the chance to create history by entering the White House if her husband is elected and assumes the role of vice presidency.