US2 min(s) read
Published 13:05 24 Jun 2026 GMT
Once again, US Vice President JD Vance has been grilled online after a “painfully awkward” moment between him and his wife went viral.
The couple was participating in a summer reading challenge that involved the pair being filmed as they read a children’s story.
However, it was not the heartwarming storytelling that caught the attention of viewers. Instead, it was the moment after Usha Vance introduced her husband and he patted her on the knee.
As the camera panned the room, Usha said: “That's right. Today's special reader is my husband, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance.
"Thanks for joining us today, honey."
The Vice President then leaned over to his heavily pregnant wife and patted her on the knee briskly.
He sheepishly added: "Of course. Good to see you," hinting that the couple perhaps does not spend much time together thanks to his demanding job.
As soon as a clip of the moment surfaced online, it went viral, and X users flocked to the comments to share how much it made them squirm.
One person wrote: "Nothing says 'happy marriage' quite like greeting your own wife as if you just met her."
Another added: "I’ve seen more chemistry during the Iran negotiations. This guy will never be president."
One user joked: "I have never in my entire life of reluctant heterosexuality had a man slap my knee like that. You can’t convince me these people know each other’s coffee orders let alone have been intimate together."
The backlash online comes just days after Vance humiliated his wife by dragging her into a joke and comparing her to the Pakistani Field Marshal.
In what was supposed to be a diplomatic icebreaker during a meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at Switzerland’s Bürgenstock Resort, Vance made his wife the punchline.
Embarrassingly, he said: “Since Field Marshal Asim Munir welcomed us with the Prime Minister in Islamabad, I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life: an Indian and a Pakistani.”
Then, in the cringeworthy moment, he added: “The Indian is my wife. And the Pakistani is Field Marshal Munir.”
Critics were quick to call out the author of Hillbilly Elegy for comparing his wife of 12 years to the controversial head of the armed forces, well-known for overpowering civilian politics, and using harsh repression against opponents.
