Second Lady Usha Vance has talked about how existing in the public eye has been a huge adjustment for her. Although her husband’s role as Vice President has surely changed her life in a lot of ways, she’s trying to maintain a sense of normalcy and continues to shop at Costco in spite of it all. Perhaps this is why Usha does not frequently comment on issues. She’s been hard for people to figure out for this reason (a lot of critics of the Trump administration are still wondering, for example, why she ever married JD Vance).
Unlike Stephen Miller’s wife, Katie, who seems to comment on anything and everything and posts what feels like rage bait, Usha typically posts about her reading initiatives on social media, not her personal opinions or politics.
So, she surprised people on June 24 when she offered a snarky response in response to a New York Times article.
The article was about the political significance of Usha, Katie, and Karoline Leavitt’s pregnancies.
Vanessa Friedman, the writer who wrote the piece, is far from the first person to suggest that these three pregnancies within President Donald Trump’s circle seem politically significant. But the writer focused more on image and aesthetics, writing that these women “offer an image of idealized womanhood that gives literal shape to the pronatalist movement.”
So, the article also focused on the three women’s fashion choices, arguing that “their public appearances have showcased their growing stomachs.”
Friedman wrote about how Usha once wore a “body-hugging lilac sweater and a satin skirt” and was photographed “cradling her growing stomach.” The article also mentioned one of Usha’s more recent fashion choices: a “stretchy coral dress that hugs her stomach” that she wore during a Father’s Day podcast episode with her husband.
The author argued that it’s particularly interesting that Usha has seemingly leaned into and embraced this MAGA approach to putting pregnancy on display. Eventually, Friedman concluded, “As second lady, her job is also to represent and humanize the vice president. By spotlighting her pregnancy, she is doing exactly that.”
Usha then weighed in and brought a literal receipt.
Now that we know the political significance of my $8.75 coral maternity dress from Old Navy, can’t wait to hear what the New York Times has to say about my elastic-waistband pants and compression socks! In the meantime, enjoy my pregnancy fashion (or lack thereof) and a good…
— Second Lady Usha Vance (@SLOTUS) June 24, 2026
Of course, many people within the Trump administration have been known to bash the mainstream media and complain about reports that they don’t like. People didn’t necessarily expect this from Usha. But to be fair, her approach still seemed a lot different from how her husband’s boss (or even her husband himself) would approach the same issue.
In her response, Usha wrote that she bought the “stretchy coral dress that hugs her stomach” for $8.75 from Old Navy, implying that her pregnancy fashion choices are really about comfort and not a MAGA pregnancy aesthetic.
“Now that we know the political significance of my $8.75 coral maternity dress from Old Navy, can’t wait to hear what the New York Times has to say about my elastic-waistband pants and compression socks!” she wrote on X. “In the meantime, enjoy my pregnancy fashion (or lack thereof) and a good story with your kids on Storytime with the Second Lady.” She even shared a screenshot of her Old Navy receipt and included a link to the New York Times article.
Reactions were mixed.
And here’s the receipt! pic.twitter.com/tgICmpbapQ
— Second Lady Usha Vance (@SLOTUS) June 24, 2026
Clearly, a lot of people are tired of people picking apart women’s fashion choices. In the eyes of some people who defended Usha, the article seemed to be criticizing women for just existing in public and wearing clothes. There’s no reason to think Usha is just like us because she shops at Costco and Old Navy sometimes. But it’s also possible that she was primarily thinking about comfort when she bought the coral dress, and other moms could relate.
“As a mom… this post is everything,” one person wrote in response. “We just want to be comfortable during pregnancy dang it and an 8 dollar dress is a STEAL!!”
Someone else said, “She’s so real for this,” and another person wrote, “She is a very cool person. She handles everything with grace.”
However, some people saw the post as in line with how those in Trump’s circle normally react to media coverage, and they didn’t expect that from Usha. “You became petty and nasty too?” a critic questioned.
At the same time, several others argued that Usha’s response wasn’t actually “nasty.” Some people actually felt Usha was poking fun at herself more than anything. They saw her reaction as “funny and light-hearted.”
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