Usha Vance, née Chilukuri, was born in San Diego, California, to Indian immigrant parents. She graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in history and later earned her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. Before becoming the Second Lady of the United States, she had a distinguished legal career. After law school, she clerked for prominent federal judges, including Chief Justice John Roberts, Judge Brett Kavanaugh (before his Supreme Court appointment), and Judge Amul Thapar. She then worked as a trial lawyer at Munger, Tolles & Olson, a San Francisco-based law firm known for handling complex civil litigation and appeals in areas like higher education, local government, entertainment, and technology. She resigned from that position in July 2024, shortly before her husband, J.D. Vance, was selected as Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate.
UPDATE – Feathers ruffled, trip severely pruned
Following widespread outrage in Greenland over President Donald Trump’s renewed push to “buy” the territory, the White House has overhauled its approach, canceling Second Lady Usha Vance’s planned cultural visit to Nuuk and the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race on March 27, 2025, amid massive anti-American protests—the largest in Greenland’s history—and firm rejections from Greenlandic leaders who insist they will “never” join the U.S. Instead, Vice President J.D. Vance will now join his wife to lead a pared-down delegation, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, arriving Friday, March 28, for a strictly military-focused visit to the U.S. Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland, bypassing any engagement with the capital or its people as Denmark and Greenland decry the uninvited U.S. presence.
She’s smart – is this more that a sightseeing visit?
As for her upcoming trip to Greenland, scheduled for Thursday, March 27, 2025, it’s officially framed as a cultural visit. According to her office, Usha Vance, accompanied by one of her three children, will join a U.S. delegation to “visit historic sites,” “learn about Greenlandic heritage,” and attend the Avannaata Qimussersu, Greenland’s national dogsled race. She will be accompanied by one of her children, alongside National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who will also visit the U.S. Pituffik Space Base.
The White House has emphasized this as an opportunity to “celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity,” with Usha herself highlighting in an Instagram video her excitement about the trip and its focus on fostering goodwill between the U.S. and Greenland.
The inclusion of high-ranking officials and military base visit suggests a strategic dimension, blurring the line between a purely ceremonial trip and one with official undertones. The White House frames it as an opportunity to “celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity” and strengthen U.S.-Greenland ties, implying a diplomatic intent, even if not formally declared as an official state visit.
However, Greenland’s government has explicitly stated that the visit is uninvited. On March 24, 2025, the Naalakkersuisut, Greenland’s caretaker government, posted on Facebook: “Just for the record, Naalakkersuisut, has not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.”
The disconnect is stark: the U.S. portrays it as a goodwill mission with official elements—evidenced by the delegation’s composition and security preparations, like Danish police and U.S. military planes arriving in Nuuk—while Greenland insists it neither requested nor welcomes it. Protests are planned for Vance’s arrival in Sisimiut, and local leaders like the mayor of Sisimiut have declined meetings, citing election priorities. So, while the U.S. treats it as a sanctioned outreach, it’s not an official visit in the sense of being coordinated or endorsed by Greenland’s government, and it’s demonstrably uninvited by the host territory.
The timing and context raise questions about whether this could be a calculated move—potentially an under-the-table approach to initiating talks about trade or broader strategic interests. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, citing national security and the island’s mineral resources, a stance echoed by Vice President J.D. Vance, who has criticized Denmark’s oversight of the territory and suggested the U.S. might need to take a “territorial interest” in it. Remember, the delegation also includes high-profile figures like National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who are reportedly visiting the U.S. Pituffik Space Base, a key military asset in the Arctic. Greenlandic leaders, including outgoing Prime Minister Múte Egede, have called the visit “highly aggressive” and a “demonstration of power,” especially given its overlap with sensitive post-election coalition talks in Greenland and Trump’s annexation rhetoric.
Annexation off the table say locals.
While there’s no direct evidence that Usha Vance’s trip is explicitly about trade negotiations, her presence—alongside Waltz and Wright—could serve as a soft-power complement to a broader U.S. strategy. Her legal background and intellect make her a credible figure for diplomatic engagement, and her cultural focus might be a way to build rapport amid tense political undercurrents. Greenland’s strategic value, including its rare earth minerals and Arctic positioning, aligns with trade and security interests Trump has prioritized.
Yet, Greenlandic and Danish officials have firmly rejected any notion of U.S. control, and the visit has sparked local protests, suggesting that if this is a calculated move, it’s not being received as subtle or welcome. Whether it’s a genuine cultural outreach or a veiled opening for deeper talks remains speculative—official statements stick to the goodwill narrative, but the geopolitical backdrop invites skepticism.