‘I hope my Hindu-raised wife finds Christ someday’: US VP JD Vance’s remarks spark debate

Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi on Wednesday, Vance talked about faith and family, responding to a question about whether his wife would “come to Christ.”

“Most Sundays, Usha comes with me to church. Do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by in church? Yeah, I genuinely hope so because I believe in the Christian gospel and wish my wife would see it the same way someday,” Vance said.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, emphasized that differences in faith do not cause conflict in their marriage.

“If she doesn’t, then God says everybody has free will… that doesn’t cause a problem for me,” he added. “That’s something you work out with your friends, your family, and the person you love.”

He also reaffirmed his belief that Christian values are the foundation of the United States, saying,

“I make no apologies for thinking Christian values are an important foundation of this country… Anybody who tells you their view is neutral likely has an agenda.”

Usha Vance, an attorney of Indian origin and a former law clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts, met Vance when both were law students at Yale.

Their children are being raised Christian and attend a Christian school.

Vance’s remarks come amid a period of heightened religious and cultural tension in the US. A rise in online hate speech targeting Indian and Hindu Americans has followed recent posts celebrating Diwali by public figures such as Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel.

Some responses to their greetings included anti-Hindu and xenophobic comments like “Diwali is un-American. Move to India” and “Seek Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the light.”

While Vance’s comments received warm reactions from the conservative audience, critics argue they highlight growing concerns over religious diversity and America’s changing demographic landscape.