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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Love, faith, & vegetarian life: Usha Vance opens up on life as US second lady; wants to have Holi party
Second Lady Usha Vance has stepped into the national spotlight with unexpected candour, offering a warm and thoughtful glimpse into her family life, vegetarian upbringing, and Hindu faith. In a candid appearance on Meghan McCain's Citizen McCain podcast, she painted a picture of an interfaith household marked by openness, choice, and deep cultural respect. Reflecting on her interfaith marriage to Vice President JD Vance—who converted to Catholicism after the birth of their first child—Usha shared how they navigated the complexities of faith. 'We had to have a lot of real conversations about how do you do that, when I'm not Catholic, and I'm not intending to convert,' she said, explaining their decision to send their children to Catholic school while ensuring they have full access to Hindu traditions through family, books and travel With her husband JD Vance now a central figure in Donald Trump's Republican administration, Second Lady Usha Vance has begun carving out a public identity of her own. In an extended conversation with Meghan McCain, Usha opened up about family life, her Hindu faith, her upbringing as a vegetarian, and how the Vance children are being raised with elements of both parents' traditions. 'They know that I'm not Catholic. .. They have plenty of access to the Hindu tradition,' Usha explained. Love story that started in law school Usha first met JD Vance during a tour at Yale Law School, where they were in the same classes and became fast friends. 'He was just obviously really good friend material right off the bat,' she recalled. 'It really was... in our second semester when he started to talk more about where he was from... that I started to think of him in this different way.' Usha Vance Opens Up: Her First Extended Interview on Life as Second Lady with Meghan McCain Although author Amy Chua, famed as the "Tiger Mom," is often cited in their love story, Usha clarified: 'She wasn't instrumental in us dating... but she was really important later on,' especially in helping JD realise that pursuing happiness—including their relationship—was more important than chasing elite clerkships. Interfaith Marriage: Conversations, choices, and catholic school When JD converted to Catholicism after their first child was born, it prompted serious discussions. 'We had to have a lot of real conversations about how do you do that, when I'm not Catholic, and I'm not intending to convert.' The Vance children now attend Catholic school but are allowed to make their own decision on baptism. 'Our oldest child has done that... We make going to church a family experience. The kids know that I'm not Catholic. ' Usha said the children are also immersed in Hindu culture through family, books and travel. 'They know many practising Hindus... Their main point of access is through spending time with my parents and my grandmother.' Though the family doesn't mark many Hindu festivals formally at home, the children connect with their heritage through visits and stories. 'My grandmother is a particularly devout Hindu... She prays every day, goes to the temple, does her own pujas." Usha said she hopes to change that in future: 'We're actually hoping to have a Holi party, so we're looking forward to that next year.' Life as a vegetarian—and JD's culinary experiments Raised in a vegetarian household, Usha said she's always thought of meals holistically. 'It's really hard to think about vegetarian diets as substituting for meat... the better way is to have a number of smaller things on your plate.' When they began dating, JD took it upon himself to learn vegetarian cooking. 'The first place that he went was actually to my mum to learn how to make some of the dishes that I enjoyed.' Today, he's known in the family for his chocolate chip cookies and Southern-style biscuits. 'He makes amazing biscuits... He's made some really good cakes, so those are my favourites.' Parenting in the public eye Raising children under the glare of politics and media hasn't been easy. Usha said they try to maintain normal routines. 'They have to put away their laundry... If they spill something, they have to clean it up.' She said the goal is to give them as grounded a life as possible: 'Almost every decision that we make is directed at making it as much like what it would have been like if they'd been growing up in Cincinnati.' Reflecting on a rapid life change When JD was named vice president, everything changed in an instant. 'We had to suddenly move hotel rooms... There was really no opportunity for reflection.' Only after the inauguration did Usha have time to think about how she wanted to use her new platform. 'Now actually, this is maybe truly the fun part... where I can start bringing projects to the light.'
New York Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
How the Supreme Court's Ruling Could Revive Some Contested Trump Policies
The Supreme Court's opinion setting new limits on the power of district-court judges to use one of their most potent tools — nationwide injunctions — marks the beginning of a profound shift in the way the federal courts do business. Before, more than 1,000 judges had the power to issue nationwide orders that could stop the federal government in its tracks. Now, those judges' rulings can only apply to the actual plaintiffs in the case. Friday's opinion could affect any case, on any issue, where a federal judge makes a ruling that extends beyond the party or parties that actually brought the lawsuit. It left open the possibility that judges could still block government actions nationwide, but only in situations where there was no narrower approach available that would protect the actual plaintiffs whom the court is seeking to benefit. Friday's ruling will lead to a drastic reduction in the federal courts' ability to check the White House, according to Judith Resnik, a professor at Yale Law School. Nationwide injunctions give courts 'the capacity to tell the key nationwide actor, the executive branch, to behave lawfully,' she said. District-court judges have repeatedly used nationwide injunctions to block Trump administration policies, including to halt the firing of civil servants, the defunding of foreign aid and the relocation of transgender women in federal prisons to men's housing. Some of those injunctions have been lifted by higher courts; many, including those detailed below, remain in place, at least for now. While some scholars trace the origins of nationwide injunctions, also known as 'universal' injunctions, back to the early 20th century, their widespread use as a check on presidential power is relatively new and has been wielded against presidents of both parties. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Onion
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Onion
Christian Faith An Important Part Of Who Senator Pretends To Be
WASHINGTON—Stressing that the facade informs nearly every aspect of his daily life, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) told reporters Thursday that his Christian faith is an important part of who he pretends to be. 'Whether I'm delivering a speech calling for theocracy in front of dozens of cameras or talking to my children at the kitchen table about God's separate roles for men and women, I mean it when I say the mask I wear in public is the same one I wear at home,' said the 45-year-old lawmaker, who confirmed that Christianity has been the foundation of his public-facing identity ever since he was a shameless young prep school student with his sights set on Yale Law School. 'The power of telling people you pray is incredible. My Christian faith is a pretense that's only grown stronger as I've aged. It's so strong that, sometimes, I almost forget it's all an act.' At press time, Hawley added that he is grateful to represent all of his Christian constituents through the faith he uses as a guise to seek power.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analyst explains why she thinks progress will be made in U.S.-China trade talks
President Trump's top economic advisors will meet with Chinese trade representatives in London on Monday for a fresh round of trade talks. Senior fellow at the Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center Samm Sacks explains what both sides will want to gain from the discussions.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JD Vance in Nashville: Why is he visiting and what to know about Trump's VP
Vice President JD Vance is coming to Nashville as the featured guest of a Republican National Committee fundraiser hosted by Lee Beaman. Vance has spent a good deal traveling in the United States during the 2024 election season and since President Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, including several visits to Tennessee for campaign events and after taking office. Here's everything you need to know about the man who holds the second-highest position in the U.S. Little information has been released about where the event is happening and just how Vance will be arriving to Music City, but the arrival of the vice president could cause delays on the city's interstate system before and after Vance's arrival and departure. Vance, a native of Middletown, Ohio and Jackson, Kentucky, described a childhood consumed by poverty and abuse in his best-selling 2016 memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy." Vance's mother struggled with drug addiction, so he spent many of his formative years with his grandmother – known to him as Mamaw. "Hillbilly Elegy," told about his time growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that "offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America's white working class." The book later became a Netflix feature film directed by Ron Howard. Vance served as a Marine veteran between 2003 and 2007 as a combat correspondent – or military journalist, according to military news site Task & Purpose. He also spent a six-month tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. Based on his memoir, he would 'attach to different units to get a sense of their daily routine,' escort civilian press, and write stories about individual marines. Vance also went to Yale Law School. Vance was first elected to the Senate in 2022, but before that had no political experience. In just two years, he went from comparing Trump to an opioid and saying Trump could be 'America's Hitler," in 2016. But as he came into the political arena, his tune changed and Vance deleted controversial tweets and secured Trump's support. Vance and his family live in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati. He also has a $1.5 million home in Alexandria, Virginia, Politico reported. The most recent visit was in January, when he came to visit East Tennessee to see the damage still being dealt with in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. He also made stops in Tennessee during the last few months of Trump's 2024 campaign for president. Vance's wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, has not been in the same spotlight as her husband and has kept out of it focusing on her job as a litigator at Munger, Tolles and Olson LLP, a national firm based in San Francisco, according to reports from the New York Times. The two met while at Yale Law School and married in 2014. They have three children: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel. Take a look at USA TODAY's in-depth look at her background here. Trump announced junior Ohio Senator Vance as his vice presidential nominee pick via social media on the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention. "After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Monday. Trump kept the identity of his running mate a tightly guarded secret that had many guessing on who would actually be named. Vance beat others on the VP shortlist like Florida Sen. Marko Rubio, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: JD Vance in Nashville: Traffic impacts, what to know about Trump's VP
