Second Lady Usha Vance has launched a children’s podcast, Storytime with the Second Lady, featuring guest readers discussing books. The first three episodes, released on YouTube, include Vance reading The Tale of Peter Rabbit and appearances by former racing driver Danica Patrick and author Brent Poppen. The podcast aims to encourage young readers by promoting books and brief discussions related to the stories.
Vance, 40, spoke with NBC News about her role as second lady, her past Democratic affiliation, and her relationship with Vice President JD Vance. She emphasized that while they do not always agree on political issues, their discussions are productive. “I’m not his staffer. I’m not involved in this in any professional sense,” she said. “There’s no expectation that we are going to see eye to eye on everything.”
The Vances, who met at Yale Law School and married in 2014, are expecting their fourth child in July 2025, making Usha the first second lady in modern history to be pregnant while in office. The couple has taken several international trips together, including a visit to the US military’s Pituffik Space Base in Greenland and the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
Vance also addressed her political evolution, stating she was a registered Democrat until 2014 but has since aligned with her husband’s Republican views. She noted that she has never faced pressure to conform to a political litmus test. “I do feel very comfortable in that no one has ever asked me to engage in any kind of litmus test on anything,” she said.