Usha Vance on disagreements with JD Vance, 2028 and shopping at Costco

Second lady Usha Vance, who was registered as a Democrat until at least 2014, told NBC News she sometimes has thoughts that are "idiosyncratic" and don't fit neatly with one political party.

WASHINGTON — Second lady Usha Vance on Friday said that she and her husband, Vice President JD Vance, don’t always see eye to eye on every issue, but that the room for disagreement creates space for “open-minded” conversations.

“I’m not his staffer. I’m not involved in this in any professional sense. … There’s no expectation that we are going to see eye to eye on everything,” Vance said.

“The expectation is that we are going to be open-minded and have a conversation, and that I’ll provide meaningful input from, you know, the perspective of someone who loves him and wants him to succeed. So even if we don’t agree, it’s — I think it’s always very productive.”

Vance sat down with NBC News for a 30-minute interview in her new studio ahead of the launch of her podcast, “Storytime With the Second Lady,” which premieres Monday.

Second lady Usha Vance on Nov. 19, 2025 in Jacksonville, N.C.Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images fileVance, 40, spoke about her shift from being a Democrat to voting Republican, whether her husband plans to run for president in 2028, their decision to have another child, and why she felt strongly about creating a podcast to encourage young readers.