JD Vance Announces Son's Birth | The Rare Moment That Shocked Political History

Vice President J.D. Vance announced Sunday that Second Lady Usha Vance had given birth to their fourth child at a military medical facility. In a social media post, Vance said his wife and the newborn were doing well and that their other children were excited to meet their new sibling, while also thanking staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit for their care throughout the pregnancy and delivery. The baby has been named Alec Neil Vance. According to the White House Historical Association, his birth marks the first time in more than 150 years that a sitting Second Lady has given birth while her spouse held the Vice Presidency. The last such birth occurred in 1870 when Schuyler Colfax III was born to Vice President Schuyler Colfax, who served under President Ulysses S. Grant during his first term in office. At 40, Usha Vance is the first woman since that time to have a child while her husband was serving in the Vice Presidential role. The Vances have three other children, Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabelle, ranging in age from four to nine. The couple first announced the pregnancy in January, saying at the time that they were expecting a boy and anticipated his arrival in late July. In that announcement, they also expressed gratitude toward the military doctors who care for their family and toward staff who allow them to balance public service with family life. Earlier this year, while promoting a new book he had written, Vance said he likely would not take formal parental leave following the birth. Vance has spoken publicly on multiple occasions about declining birth rates in the United States and has encouraged Americans to have larger families. At a Washington rally last year focused on opposition to abortion, Vance said he wanted to see more children born in the country and more people willing to raise them. During a Michigan event in March, Vance, seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, recounted persuading his wife to have a fourth child around the time they decided to run for Vice President, describing a conversation in which she said he could either become Vice President or have a fourth baby, and noting that he ultimately did both. He also said the 2025 killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, whom he described as a personal friend, was a factor in the couple's decision to expand their family.