JD Vance turned Usha Vance’s maternity dress debate into a budget joke after her receipt went viral. The vice president praised the second lady for buying a $50 Old Navy dress for $8.75. Previously, the maxi dress faced criticism following the publication of a style article on the image of pregnancy in politics. Usha responded with sarcasm, posted proof of the discount, and drew supportive reactions from users who called the coral dress beautiful and relatable.
JD Vance lauds wife Usha Vance for buying $50 maternity dress for $8.75
As per Usha Vance’s X (formerly Twitter) post, the second lady responded directly to the dress debate. She wrote, “Now that we know the political significance” of her $8.75 coral maternity dress, she was waiting for more analysis. Then, Usha joked with a sarcastic clapback about her “elastic-waistband pants and compression socks.” The post linked to her podcast “Storytime with the Second Lady,” where she wore the fitted Old Navy maternity dress during a Father’s Day special.
Meanwhile, JD Vance amplified the receipt with his own post on June 26. He wrote, “She bought a $50 dress for $8.75.” Then, he added, “America: meet your next director of the federal budget!” The receipt showed “The Occasion by Old Navy Maternity Asymmetrical Shoulder Maxi Dress.” It listed the original price at $49.99. The sale price was $12.49, with promos bringing the final total to $8.75. USA Today reported the dress was no longer available online.
The exchange started after USA Today covered the criticism around the maternity dress. The report said New York Times critic Vanessa Friedman discussed the “political significance” of public pregnancy images. A Times spokesperson later told USA Today the piece offered “fair and illuminating analysis.” The pushback came after a fashion analysis treated Usha’s outfit as a larger political image.
It placed her appearance beside other pregnant women in the Trump administration. The piece argued that those public appearances helped project a message about family and motherhood. However, many online reactions backed Usha. One X user wrote, “The best part is that the dress looks beautiful, and she looks great in it.”
Usha and JD Vance are expecting their fourth child, a boy due in July.
