'Painfully Awkward' J.D. Vance Mocked for Cringeworthy PDA Moment With Pregnant Wife Usha as Footage Goes Viral
J.D. Vance has ben heavily mocked for his viral moment with pregnant wife Usha.
June 25 2026, Updated 12:58 p.m. ET
Vice President J.D. Vance has been roasted online for a cringey moment with his pregnant wife, Usha, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
After the clip of Vance greeting Usha with awkward pat on the knee went viral, critics accused him of treating his spouse like they were strangers.
'This Guy Will Never Be President'
Viewers laid into Vance, saying the VP and wife Usha lack 'chemistry.'
Anti-MAGA commenter Joe Gallina of Call to Activism wrote on X: "Holy s---. This painfully awkward J.D. Vance moment is going viral. I've seen more chemistry during the Iran negotiations. This guy will never be president."
The moment occurred during a Father's Day episode of Usha's podcast, Storytime With the Second Lady.
The pregnant 40-year-old introduced her husband to the audience by saying: "I know from personal experience that today's special reader loves to read to kids. That's because I see him read books to our own kids every day."
"That's right. Today's special reader is my husband, Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance. Thanks for joining us today, honey."
The exchange went viral.
'Cry for Help'
Viewers noted Usha's reaction when Vance tapped her on the knee.
Vance, 41, responded with a formal: "Of course. Good to see you," while gingerly patting his wife's knee twice.
His gentle patting particularly irked social media users, who were quick to lay into Vance for the gesture.
One wrote: "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 face Usha Vance makes when J.D. touches her knee is a cry for help if I've ever seen one," Democratic strategist Mike Nellis joked.
Erica Kirk Inspired Vances to Have More Kids
Erica Kirk's regret at not having more children with late husband Charlie inspired the Vances to add to their brood.
The couple has publicly dismissed rumors they're on the rocks, stating their marriage is incredibly strong as they prepare for the birth of their fourth child.
As Radar previously reported, Usha wasn't quite ready for more children until she and her husband heard the words of widow Erika Kirk regretting not having more kids with her late husband, Charlie.
During an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, the Second Lady reflected on the emotional aftermath of Charlie's assassination in September 2025 and how Erika's candid comments about motherhood left a lasting impression on both her and her husband.
Usha recalled how discussions about having another child had already been taking place before Charlie's death. But hearing Erika speak openly about her own regrets following the tragedy gave those conversations a new sense of urgency.
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Vance already has three children with Usha.
"I think it really heightened J.D.'s sense that he'd been talking about this for a while, this sense that there was this possibility of having another kid whom he could love as much as the three that we had," Usha said during her interview.
The Vances are already parents to three children — Ewan, 9, Vivek, 6, and Mirabel, 4.
The topic first surfaced publicly in J.D.'s upcoming memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, in which he detailed conversations that followed the conservative activist's death.
According to excerpts, Erika told Usha she regretted having "only two kids with Charlie" before he was killed.
