JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years

By — Darlene Superville, Associated Press Darlene Superville, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/jd-and-usha-vance-welcome-a-baby-boy-the-first-child-born-to-a-sitting-vp-in-more-than-150-years Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years Politics Jul 19, 2026 8:06 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, on Sunday announced the birth of their fourth child, the first born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years. Born Sunday, Alec Neel Vance joins older siblings Ewan, 9; Vivek, 6; and Mirabel, 4. Vance announced the birth on social media with a statement signed by him and his wife. "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," the statement said. They thanked doctors and staff at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and with the White House medical team. The Republican vice president's growing family is in keeping with his passionate advocacy for Americans to have more children. He has also suggested that the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was his friend, factored into the decision to have another child. READ MORE: Trump reads a children's book on second lady Usha Vance's podcast, then riffs on past presidents and himself Vance, a former U.S. Marine, repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates in America as he launched his political career in 2021 with a bid for a U.S. Senate seat from Ohio. As vice president, he said in Washington at the 2025 March for Life anti-abortion rally, "I want more babies in the United States of America." The vice president, who's 41, has been accompanied on overseas trips by Usha Vance, 40, and their children, with the kids often pajama-clad as they board Air Force Two for the overnight flights. Usha Vance, the daughter of immigrants from India, had already been the subject of some public fascination because of her husband. Her pregnancy, which was announced in January, amplified that spotlight since it is rare for occupants of the United States' highest public offices to add to their families while serving. The last time a sitting vice president became a new father was in the 1800s. Schuyler Colfax and his second wife, Ellen Wade, had a son, Schuyler Colfax III, in 1870 when Colfax was serving as vice president, according to the White House Historical Association. Decades before that, John C. Calhoun and his wife, Floride Bonneau, had a son, William, in 1829 when Calhoun was vice president, the association said. The newest addition to Vance's family was part of a recent mini baby boom among top members of President Donald Trump's administration. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Mil