Vice President JD Vance fired back at MSNBC host Jen Psaki on Thursday, October 23, 2025, after the former White House press secretary suggested during a podcast appearance that his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, needed to be rescued from their marriage. Speaking to reporters on the tarmac in Tel Aviv, Israel, before departing for the United States, Vance called Psaki’s remarks disgraceful while defending his decade-long marriage.
The vice president was wrapping up a two-day trip to Israel, where he had been working on stabilizing the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas alongside Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. When asked about Psaki’s comments, Vance initially made a face before responding. “I think it’s disgraceful, but of course the second lady can speak for herself,” he told reporters. He added that he was very lucky to have a wonderful wife and expressed hope that she felt the same about him.
Vance emphasized that he and Usha would continue serving the country together, noting that he was honored to have her by his side on the Israel trip and always. The 41-year-old vice president and his wife have been married since 2014, having met at Yale Law School four years earlier when they joined a discussion group on social decline in America.
The controversy erupted from Psaki’s appearance on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, on the podcast “I’ve Had It” with hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan. During the conversation, the former Biden administration official called Vance a Manchurian candidate—a reference to a 2004 film about a vice presidential candidate manipulated by enemy powers. Psaki suggested that Vance wanted to be president more than anything else and was willing to do whatever it took to reach the Oval Office.
But it was her comments about Usha Vance that sparked the most backlash. “I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife,” Psaki said. “Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. Come over here, we’ll save you.” She went on to characterize the vice president as scarier than President Trump in some ways, describing him as young, ambitious, and agile—a chameleon who transforms himself into whatever his audience wants to hear.
The remarks immediately triggered fierce criticism on social media, with users condemning the comments as disgusting and vile for mocking the couple’s marriage. Some described the statements as an insult to women who are actually in abusive relationships. Fox News host Lawrence Jones erupted in outrage during an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” accusing Psaki of slander and demanding she apologize. Newsmax anchor Greta Van Susteren posted on X, calling Psaki a jerk and a mean girl.
Usha Vance, a former Democrat who previously worked at a progressive law firm, regularly accompanies her husband on overseas trips. The second lady has traveled with Vance to Greenland, Italy, and most recently to the Middle East. She is the first Indian American second lady in United States history, a milestone that has made her the target of racist and misogynistic attacks from far-right social media accounts and commentators.
This is not the first clash between Psaki and Vance. The two previously sparred in August 2025 following a tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis on August 27. After a prayer service was held for the victims, Psaki questioned whether offering prayers was an appropriate response, writing on X that people needed to stop with thoughts and prayers. Vance responded by expressing shock at left-wing politicians attacking prayer, explaining that people pray because their hearts are broken and they believe God is listening.
Before boarding Air Force Two with his wife on Thursday, Vance expressed optimism about the situation in Gaza. He told reporters that Rafah, a southern Gaza city left in ruins after constant bombardment, could be rebuilt in two to three years. He suggested that the area would gradually see people return, with hopefully half a million people eventually living in security and comfort while not threatening their Israeli neighbors. Tensions in the region had escalated over the weekend, with two Israeli soldiers and at least 45 Palestinians killed in renewed violence.
Psaki, who now hosts a prime-time show on MSNBC after serving as press secretary under former President Joe Biden, has not issued any further comments since the podcast episode aired.
