JD Vance, a prominent supporter of Donald Trump and recently appointed running mate for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, has sparked discussion regarding his hopes for his wife, Usha Vance, to convert to Christianity. In doing so, the couple faithfully charts a course through the difficulties of raising children in an interfaith marriage. Usha happens to be Hindu and has expressed quite unambiguously that she does not plan to convert.
Vance, who was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 2019, has frequently conveyed his earnest commitment to the Christian gospel. He is convinced that this faith is good for humans and has changed the trajectory of his own family’s upbringing. Their two eldest daughters had all three of their children enter a Christian school, and Vance’s eight-year-old daughter recently celebrated her first communion. In a statement, Vance remarked,
“Our two kids go to Christian school. Our eight-year-old just did his first communion a year ago. That’s how we decided to come to our arrangement.”
Raised in a devoutly evangelical family, Vance became Catholic in his 30s. To that end, his relationship with faith has taken on disproportionate importance in his personal journey and public identity. Most recently, he underscored this hope when he described wanting Usha to agree with him philosophically, saying,
“As I’ve told her, and as I’ve said publicly… do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing I was moved by in church? Yes. I honestly do wish that, because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope that eventually my wife comes to see it the same way.”
Usha Vance has shown that she’s not planning to take the plunge. She described how their kids are able to learn both the rich traditions of Hinduism and the Christian gospel.
“They have plenty of access to the Hindu tradition, from books that we give them to things that we show them to visit recently to India, and some religious elements of that visit,” – Usha Vance.
This interfaith dynamic presents questions around religious identity and family unity. Though JD Vance would like to see a common faith in America, he understands that free will is a key component to religious faith. He noted,
“God says that everybody has free will, so that doesn’t cause a problem with me. That’s something that you work out with your friends, your family, the person you most love.”
Reaction to the public discussion around Vance’s comments has been similarly mixed. Many local residents are concerned about what these kinds of comments mean for the future of interfaith relationships. Suhag Shukla, executive director of the Hindu American Foundation, an advocate for religious tolerance, pointed to the larger societal effects of those conversations.
“That’s a lot of uncertainty in the community,” – Suhag Shukla.
Shukla further reflected that remarks like Vance’s threaten to worsen the climate for anyone living through a similar mixed-faith experience.
“This just added kind of fuel to those fears.” – Suhag Shukla.
Mysore’s supporters and critics have taken to social media to criticize Vance’s comments, decrying his focus on Usha’s faith. One such comment noted the difficulty of publicly talking about one’s spouse’s faith when seeking personal acceptance from some groups.
“It’s weird to throw your wife’s religion under the bus, in public, for a moment’s acceptance by groypers.”
Aside from revealing JD Vance’s own terrible views, his comments unearth the thorny realities of interfaith marriages and partnerships. And just like that, he’s walking the same political path as Trump. This collaboration will help ensure that the faith and family narrative continues to lead the public discourse.