Jen Psaki Faces Backlash After Mocking JD Vance’s Wife in Podcast Remarks
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday condemned MSNBC host Jen Psaki’s recent remarks about his wife, Usha, calling them “disgraceful” and emblematic of what he described as Democrats’ hypocritical use of identity politics — championing feminism and racial equality while ridiculing conservative women and minorities who do not conform to progressive views.
Speaking to reporters during an official visit to Israel, Vance said he considered himself “very lucky to have a wonderful wife,” noting that Usha, who accompanied him on the trip, is more than capable of speaking for herself. The couple’s three children — Ewan, 8; Vivek, 5; and Mirabel, 3 — remained in the United States.
Psaki, who previously served as White House press secretary under President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2022 before transitioning to MSNBC, made the controversial comments earlier this week on the “I’ve Had It” podcast.
During the episode, she referred to Vance as a “little Manchurian candidate,” accusing him of being even more ambitious than Donald Trump. Psaki then shifted focus to Usha Vance, 39, a Yale Law School graduate and former clerk for both Chief Justice John Roberts and then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
“I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife,” Psaki said mockingly. “Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. We’ll come over here. We’ll save you.”
Psaki went on to describe Vance as “scarier” than Trump — younger, more adaptable, and a “chameleon” willing to say or do anything to advance his political career.
Her remarks quickly drew criticism online, with many conservatives accusing Psaki of demeaning a highly accomplished woman of color simply because of her husband’s political alignment. Vance’s comments on Thursday marked the first time he publicly responded to the controversy, framing Psaki’s remarks as part of a broader pattern of condescension toward women who don’t adhere to liberal politics.
The episode has reignited debate over the left’s treatment of conservative women and minorities, with critics arguing that Psaki’s tone — couched as humor — underscores a deeper intolerance for ideological diversity within progressive circles.
WATCH:
NEW: Vice President Vance laughs off Jen Psaki’s comments about his wife, Usha:
“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.”… pic.twitter.com/DprrMR1IbB
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 23, 2025
The clip quickly went viral, sparking outrage across social media.
Trump communications director Steven Cheung accused Psaki of “projecting her own personal issues,” while Fox News contributor Joe Concha described her as “not a good person.” Neither Psaki nor MSNBC has issued a response to the backlash.
Republicans, however, say this is part of a larger pattern.
During Donald Trump’s presidency, former First Lady Melania Trump was routinely subjected to media speculation suggesting she was “trapped” or living under coercion—claims rarely, if ever, applied to Democratic spouses like Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s choice to remain with Bill Clinton after the Lewinsky scandal has consistently been portrayed as resilience rather than complicity.
The same contradiction, critics say, applies to race. Democrats often present themselves as champions of Black Americans, yet they frequently react with hostility or condescension when Black conservatives achieve success.
One prominent example is Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the first Black woman elected statewide in Virginia and a Marine Corps veteran. Earle-Sears has repeatedly been targeted by liberal commentators for defying progressive expectations.
On October 22, Earle-Sears mocked MSNBC’s Morning Joe after the panel blamed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger’s poor polling on sexism. “Other countries have no problem electing women,” host Mika Brzezinski complained. Earle-Sears, Spanberger’s Republican opponent, responded on X: “Who wants to tell them?”
Earle-Sears, who won her 2021 election decisively, has long pushed back against liberal critics. After MSNBC host Joy Reid questioned her authenticity as a Black leader in 2022, she fired back: “They don’t know what to do with Black people who think for themselves.”
A Jamaican immigrant and small-business owner, Earle-Sears has built a diverse coalition around issues like education reform and public safety.
Other conservative figures have faced similar treatment. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been caricatured for decades as intellectually dependent, despite his extensive judicial record. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) has endured invasive media scrutiny about his personal life even as polling shows rising Black support for Republican economic policies.
Usha Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants, stands as another example. She graduated at the top of her Yale Law School class section, clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts, and built a successful career in appellate litigation before choosing to focus on raising her family.
Her husband, JD Vance, credited her in Hillbilly Elegy as his “Yale spirit guide.” Psaki’s comments, critics argue, reduced an accomplished professional to a sexist caricature — a damsel in need of rescuing from her own marriage.
Democrats have leaned heavily on identity politics in recent years. Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign, for instance, spotlighted her trailblazing identity as the first woman, first Black woman, and first Indian-American vice president, often placing biography above policy. Yet, when Republican women or minorities rise, their achievements are questioned and their independence doubted.
Psaki’s latest remarks follow earlier controversy, including her statement that “prayer is not freaking enough” after a Minnesota school shooting — a comment that previously drew criticism from Vance for politicizing tragedy.
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