&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "JD and Usha Vance welcome fourth child: Who serves as acting US vice president during Vance's paternity leave?")
US Vice-President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha, has welcomed their fourth child on Sunday (July 19). Vance made the announcement in a post on X, stating that they are excited on the birth of their baby boy Alec Neel Vance. He said that both Usha and the baby are "happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother." Vance thanked the military doctors and staff members of Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit. JD and Usha were married in 2014 and have three children together.
With the birth of the fourth child, Vance became first sitting US VP to give birth in more than 150 years. According to CBS, the last known instance was 156 years ago when Schuyler Colfax Jr. -- serving as vice president to Ulysses S. Grant -- and his wife Ellen had their son, Schuyler Colfax III, in 1870. CNN reported citing people familiar with the matter that the family of six will be spending time in rural northern Virginia.
Usha and JD's relationship has been under scanner due to the second lady's immigrant status and the Vice President's closeness with Conservative commentator late Charlie Kirk's wife - Erika Kirk. Usha Vance is Indian American, born and raised in San Diego, California, to parents who immigrated to the United States from India. Earlier, Vance had revealed that it was the death of Charlie Kirk that convinced Usha to have a fourth child. Narrating an incident, he said that Erika Kirk, the crying widow of Charlie, told Usha to have more babies as she regretted having only two kids.
Karoline Leavitt to be US Vice President when Usha Vance gives birth?
In May, Vance said that press secretary Karoline Leavitt should swap roles with him once his wife gives birth to their fourth child. He made the remark while addressing a press briefing in Karoline's absence. “It’s cool to be here. I want to give a shout out, of course, to the person I am replacing today, Karoline Leavitt, who hopefully is at home enjoying some time with her beautiful kids,” Vance said. He then jokingly suggested that he and Leavitt had struck a deal before he agreed to temporarily fill in at the podium. "When Usha has our baby in July that SHE would be Vice President for a couple of weeks!" he said making the room erupt in laughter.
Who will be acting US Vice President?
As Vance heads for paternity leave, a question hovers as to who would serve as the VP in his absence. But, the truth is that no one will serve as an "acting" U.S. Vice President because according to US Constitution, if a Vice President dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the position cannot be filled by an "acting" official. Instead, Section 2 of the 25th Amendment mandates a specific permanent replacement process. In case of temporary absence of the Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate or a designated senator presides over the chamber as the Vice President is the President of the Senate.
