Explosive Claims on 'I've Had It' Podcast
Former MSNBC anchor Joy Reid has ignited a political firestorm with controversial remarks about Vice President JD Vance's marriage and future presidential ambitions. During an appearance on the 'I've Had It' podcast, Reid suggested that Vance might abandon his wife, Usha, because she is Indian-American, in a calculated bid to win the presidency in 2028.
Reid asserted that supporters of former President Donald Trump are 'fundamentally racist' and would never accept Usha Vance, who is of Indian heritage, as a future First Lady. 'What most motivates MAGA? Hatred and non-white immigrants,' Reid told podcast co-hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie 'Pumps' Sullivan.
Speculation on Vance's Political Future
Reid questioned whether Vance could truly be the heir apparent to the MAGA movement, stating, 'They can't have the successor to MAGA be the guy with the brown Hindu wife.' She elaborated, claiming that the movement's Christian nationalist base would not tolerate such a scenario. 'That's why he's throwing his wife under the bus. Poor Usha. Or she's in on it. Right?' Reid added, casting further speculation on the Vance's private life.
The conversation then turned to Vance's public interaction with Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Welch, who previously faced backlash for laughing at Charlie Kirk's death, accused Vance of 'engaging in an amorous exchange' for simply hugging Erika on-stage at her husband's memorial service.
'Playing slap and tickle with Erika Kirk, it's the weirdest s**t I've ever seen,' Welch remarked. Reid criticised Kirk's behaviour during the embrace, specifically her hand on Vance's head, suggesting it was inappropriate. 'You not doing that right thing. Supposed to be a widow,' Reid said, also taking issue with Kirk's choice of attire. 'You in leather pants? That's not widow-wear.'
Fallout and Clarifications
Reid then posed a shocking hypothetical: 'Wouldn't it be the most perfect fairy tale, MAGA fairy tale, if he finally sees the light that he needs a white queen instead of this brown Hindu?' She clarified that she was not stating this as fact but presenting it as a potential political narrative.
In a subsequent interview with Megyn Kelly, Erika Kirk addressed the scrutinised hug directly. She explained that her 'love language is touch' and detailed the moment. 'They just played the emotional video. I'm walking over, he's walking over. I'm starting to cry. He says, 'I'm so proud of you.' And I say, 'God bless you,' and I touch the back of his head.' Kelly joked about the intense public reaction to the gesture.
Meanwhile, Usha Vance was spotted without her wedding ring during a visit to Camp Lejeune, fuelling online speculation. A spokeswoman for the Second Lady swiftly dismissed the rumours, stating that Usha 'is a mother of three young children who does a lot of dishes, gives lots of baths, and forgets her ring sometimes.'
This incident follows recent controversy where Vance, a Roman Catholic, admitted to having pleaded with his wife to convert from Hinduism. He later clarified on social media platform X that 'She is not Christian and has no plans to convert.' The couple married in 2014 and share three children.
