Full Breakdown
Second Lady Usha Vance Responds to Abdul El-Sayed’s Comment on Vance Grandparents
8/26/2026, 1:19:38 AM
Exchange Overview
In a recent interview on “Fox & Friends,” second lady Usha Vance addressed remarks made by Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed had suggested that Vice President J.D. Vance’s grandfather might not have accepted Usha Vance because of her Indian heritage, a comment that sparked online criticism and prompted Vance’s on-air response.
Background of the Sharia Law Comment
The dispute traces back to a rally in Ohio where J.D. Vance criticized El-Sayed’s views on Sharia law, describing the practice as “completely alien” to his grandfather, whom he calls his “Papaw.” Critics interpreted the remark as an insinuation that Vance’s grandparents would have rejected Usha because of her ethnicity.
Official Statements & Responses
Usha Vance told “Fox & Friends” that she had never met J.D. Vance’s late grandparents—James (died 1997) and Bonnie (died 2005)—but emphasized her close relationship with his aunt, who she described as a “second mother.”
El-Sayed responded in an interview with MS NOW, arguing that the criticism implied a hierarchy of “American-ness” based on ancestry. His campaign did not return a request for comment.
J.D. Vance’s 2016 memoir *Hillbilly Elegy* notes his “great regrets” that his grandparents never met his wife.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He once argued, not too long ago, that criticisms of Sharia law were rooted in White supremacy,” — Usha Vance, how vice president
- “I have to admit, I kind of laughed,” — Usha Vance, how vice president
