Does Usha Chilukuri Vance Need ‘Rescuing’? JD Vance Calls Jen Psaki’s Comments ‘Disgraceful’ as Backlash Mounts

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday condemned as “disgraceful” remarks made by MSNBC host Jen Psaki suggesting that his wife, second lady Usha Vance, needed to be rescued from their marriage—comments that sparked intense backlash across social media and from White House officials.

Asked about Psaki’s statements while on the tarmac in Tel Aviv, Israel, preparing to return to the United States after a diplomatic trip, Vance made a face before responding: “Oh, I think it’s disgraceful, but of course the second lady can speak for herself.”

“I am very lucky to have a wonderful wife and I know—at least I hope—that my wife feels the same about me,” Vance continued, according to the New York Post. “We’re going to keep on serving the country together and I’m honored to have Usha by my side on this trip in particular, but always.”

The Controversial Podcast

The controversy erupted from Psaki’s appearance on Tuesday’s episode of the “I’ve Had It” podcast, hosted by Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan. The former White House press secretary, who now hosts “The Briefing with Jen Psaki” on MSNBC, made the remarks while discussing Vice President Vance’s presidential ambitions.

“I think the little Manchurian candidate, JD Vance, wants to be president more than anything else,” Psaki said, according to The Daily Beast. “I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife. Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. Come over here, we’ll save you.”

Psaki went on to argue that Vance is “scarier” than President Trump in some ways because he’s “willing to do anything” to reach the Oval Office, Fox News reported.

“He’s young and ambitious and agile in the sense that he’s a chameleon who makes himself whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear from him,” Psaki continued, according to the New York Post.

The podcast episode’s description on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts referenced the comment, stating: “Usha Vance, please blink twice if you need help,” Newsweek reported.

Swift Backlash

Social media erupted with criticism following Psaki’s podcast appearance. Users across the political spectrum called her comments “disgusting,” “vile,” and “deeply misogynistic” for mocking the Vances’ marriage and suggesting that Usha Vance—a highly accomplished Yale Law School graduate and former Supreme Court clerk—was being held against her will.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded sharply to the remarks. “Jen Psuki must be transferring her own personal issues onto others,” Cheung wrote on X, referring to Psaki by a derogatory nickname. He called her “a dumba– who has no comprehension of the truth and has to overcompensate for her lack of talent by saying untrue things,” according to The Daily Beast.

Fox News contributor Joe Concha said of Psaki: “Not a good person. At all,” according to Fox News.

Turning Point USA contributor Jack Posobiec highlighted the timing of Psaki’s comments, noting that “Usha is accompanying JD right now in Israel securing the Gaza Peace Deal. Absolutely disgusting comments,” according to Breitbart.

Conservative commentator Ellie Bufkin, a former Fox News producer, described Psaki’s words as “deeply misogynistic,” asking: “Apparently Usha doesn’t think for herself?” according to Breitbart.

The controversy has drawn attention to Usha Vance’s own impressive credentials and accomplishments, which critics say make Psaki’s suggestion that she needs “saving” particularly offensive.

Tim Pool, host of Timcast IRL, wrote: “They called Trump Hitler then claimed DeSantis was worse, then walked it back when Trump won and now claim JD Vance is worse. It’s a cult,” Breitbart reported.

Federalist senior legal correspondent Margot Cleveland added sarcastically: “I must admit, the pivot to ‘JD Vance is worse than Hitler’ started earlier than I anticipated,” according to Fox News.

Who Is Usha Vance?

The controversy has drawn attention to Usha Vance’s own impressive credentials and accomplishments, which critics say make Psaki’s suggestion that she needs “saving” particularly offensive.

The Vances met at Yale Law School, got married in 2014, and have three children. The White House biography notes that Usha Vance “is an experienced litigator whose work involved complex civil litigation and appeals in a wide variety of industries.”

She clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh when he was serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

In an interview earlier this year, Usha Vance said she was “not plotting out” the next steps regarding her husband’s political future, adding that she would be happy to be “along for the ride” if her husband became president, Newsweek reported.

Critics argued that Psaki’s comments were particularly problematic given Usha Vance’s demonstrated agency, intelligence, and professional accomplishments. As Townhall noted, “What’s more, there’s a lot of misogyny and/or racism in the implication that Usha Vance can’t take care of herself. She’s a grown woman with a law degree from Yale, which is where she met Vance. Every outward indicator is that she’s fully capable of taking care of and speaking for herself.”

According to The Daily Beast, after 10 years of matrimony, the 41-year-old vice president declared that he was lucky to be with Usha Vance, “and I hope that my wife feels the same about me.”

“I’m very lucky to go on this journey with a very loving wife,” Vance told reporters, according to Newsweek. “We’re going to keep on serving the country together and I’m honored to have Usha by my side, on this trip in particular, but always.”

Psaki’s Political Commentary

The comments about Usha Vance were part of a broader discussion on the “I’ve Had It” podcast about Vance’s political trajectory and presidential aspirations. President Donald Trump has suggested that Vance is likely the heir apparent to his MAGA movement, according to Newsweek.

During the podcast, Psaki referred to Vance as “the little Manchurian candidate”—a reference to a political thriller about a politician being used as a puppet by an enemy power, The Daily Beast explained. The term comes from a novel released in 1959 that was later turned into a movie.

According to The Daily Beast, Psaki also discussed politics more broadly on the podcast, claiming the Trump administration was attempting to “manipulate” elections through various means including electoral redistricting ahead of next year’s midterms.

The MSNBC host said Trump was “taking the military underneath his wing” and attempting to control media access to the government, The Daily Beast reported.

No Response from MSNBC or Psaki

As of Thursday, neither MSNBC nor Psaki had issued any public statement addressing the controversy or responding to the criticism. The Daily Beast and Fox News Digital both reported reaching out to the White House, the vice president’s office, and MSNBC for comment, but responses were not immediately available.

The controversy represents the latest flashpoint in increasingly personal political attacks between media figures and political leaders. For Psaki, a former Biden administration official who transitioned to cable news punditry, the backlash highlights the risks of mixing political commentary with personal speculation about marriages and family relationships.

The Vances have been married for over a decade and have navigated JD Vance’s rapid political rise together—from bestselling author of “Hillbilly Elegy” to U.S. Senator from Ohio to Vice President of the United States in the span of just a few years.

Throughout his political career, Vance has frequently spoken publicly about his wife’s influence on his life and thinking. In his response to Psaki’s comments, he maintained that characteristic posture of praising his wife while suggesting she is fully capable of speaking for herself.

This story was aggregated by AI from several news reports and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk.