JD and Usha Vance welcome baby boy, first child born to sitting VP in 156 years

Vice-President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, announced the birth of their fourth child on Sunday, marking the first time a sitting vice-president has welcomed a child in over 156 years. The baby boy, named Alec Neel Vance, was born on Sunday. He joins older siblings Ewan (9), Vivek (6), and Mirabel (4).

Vance announced the birth on social media with a statement signed by both parents: "We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning. Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother." They thanked the doctors and staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the White House medical team.

The Republican vice-president's growing family aligns with his strong advocacy for Americans to have more children. He has also suggested that the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a friend of his, influenced the decision to have another child.

Vance, a former US Marine, has repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates in America since launching his political career in 2021 with a Senate bid from Ohio. As vice-president, he said at the 2025 March for Life anti-abortion rally in Washington: "I want more babies in the United States of America."

Usha Vance, the daughter of immigrants from India, has already drawn public fascination because of her husband. Her pregnancy, announced in January, amplified that spotlight, as it is rare for occupants of the highest US offices to expand their families while serving.

The last time a sitting vice-president became a new father was in the 19th century. Schuyler Colfax and his second wife, Ellen Wade Colfax, had a son in 1870, and John C. Calhoun and his wife, Floride Bonneau Calhoun, had a son in 1829, according to the White House Historical Association.

The Vances' new addition is part of a recent mini baby boom among top members of Donald Trump's administration. Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, recently gave birth to their fourth child, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had her second child with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, in May.

Usha Vance recently faced scrutiny after a New York Times fashion critic highlighted the tight coral maternity dress she wore for a Father's Day episode of "Storytime with the Second Lady," a video podcast she launched during the pregnancy.