JD Vance has responded to allegations that he yelled at his wife in a restaurant.
The Vice President faced criticism earlier this week after a photo that seemed to capture him shouting at his wife, Usha, circulated widely online.
In the unverified picture, Vance is seen wearing a white T-shirt, seemingly in the midst of yelling with an angry expression, while a woman with dark hair opposite him appears to have her head in her hands as they sit in what looks like a restaurant booth.
Skeptics of Trump’s ally quickly commented that the photo might indicate issues between the couple, who have been married for over ten years and have three children together.
“Looks like things are not so good in Republicanistan,” commented one person who shared the image on Facebook. “Usha is a liberal. Always has been. Apparently they were having an argument loud enough to quiet the restaurant. Why is he wearing a tee shirt?”
Many in the comments found humor in the Vice President’s unusual choice of attire for a dinner outing.
“It looks like he should have a pack of Luckys rolled up in his sleeve; maybe he’s dragging us back to the 1950s via fashion,” another person quipped.
Vance has now addressed the rumors directly, writing with sarcasm in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “I always wear an undershirt when I go out in public to have a fight loudly with my wife.”
This retort from the 41-year-old comes as more people suspected the photo could be AI-generated.
The speculation comes after the couple has been the focus of rumors for months, following Vance’s public embrace with Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA’s founder, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September.
Erika Kirk, a mother of two, spoke about the parallels between her late husband and the Vice President as she announced that the young conservative movement, where she now serves as CEO, would support Vance in a potential 2028 election campaign.
Meanwhile, Usha fueled further speculation by being seen in public without her wedding ring, even during events with First Lady Melania Trump.
A spokesperson for the Second Lady explained at the time that she is occupied with her responsibilities as a mother and managing a household, which involves doing ‘a lot of dishes’ and giving ‘lots of baths,’ and as a result, sometimes forgets her rings.
Vance also dismissed the rumors, telling NBC News: “I think that we kind of get a kick out of it.
“With anything in life, you take the good with the bad. You accept that there are some sacrifices and there are some very good things that come along with it, too.
“But our marriage is as strong as it’s ever been, and I think Usha’s really taken to it, and it’s been kind of cool to see how she’s developed and evolved in this new role.”