Vice President JD Vance on Thursday condemned comments made by MSNBC host Jen Psaki, calling her recent remarks about his wife, Usha Vance, “disgraceful” and emblematic of what he views as a recurring double standard in modern identity-based political debates. The exchange represents the latest flashpoint in a longstanding argument over how Democrats apply the language of feminism and racial allyship—rallying behind it publicly while, critics contend, belittling conservative women and minorities who diverge from progressive viewpoints.

Speaking during an official visit to Israel, Vance told reporters he considered himself “very lucky to have a wonderful wife,” adding that Usha, who accompanied him on the trip, “is perfectly capable of speaking for herself.” Their three young children—Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel—remained in the United States.

Psaki, who served as White House press secretary under President Biden before moving to MSNBC, made her comments during a Tuesday appearance on the I’ve Had It podcast. In the conversation, she referred to Vance as a “little Manchurian candidate” whose political ambitions surpass even those of former President Donald Trump. Psaki then shifted to Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, a Yale Law School graduate who clerked first for Chief Justice John Roberts and later for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

“I always wonder what’s going on in the mind of his wife,” Psaki said. “Are you OK? Please blink four times. We’ll come over here. We’ll save you.”

Psaki’s depiction of Usha—a respected attorney and mother of three—ignited intense backlash after the clip spread online. She went on to call Vance “scarier” than Trump, describing him as young, flexible, and a political “chameleon” willing to shift positions to accumulate power.

The reaction was swift. Steven Cheung, communications director for Donald Trump, accused Psaki of projecting her own issues onto the Vance family. Fox News contributor Joe Concha criticized Psaki’s tone, saying it reflected poorly on her character. Neither Psaki nor MSNBC has publicly commented.

To Republicans, Psaki’s remarks fit a larger pattern.

During the Trump administration, Melania Trump was frequently portrayed by some media outlets as silently oppressed or coerced—assumptions rarely applied to Democratic spouses such as second gentleman Doug Emhoff. Similarly, Hillary Clinton’s decision to remain with Bill Clinton after the Lewinsky scandal was often framed as resilience or political strategy rather than a loss of agency.

The tension extends across racial lines as well. Democrats routinely highlight their role as defenders of Black Americans, yet conservative Black leaders often report facing hostility or condescension when their views challenge progressive expectations.

A prominent example is Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the first Black woman elected statewide in Virginia and a former Marine. Earle-Sears has repeatedly confronted media skepticism regarding her ideology and accomplishments. On October 22, after commentators on MSNBC’s Morning Joe blamed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger’s polling struggles on ingrained sexism, Earle-Sears—herself running against Spanberger—responded on X with the pointed message: “Who wants to tell them?”

Earle-Sears won her 2021 statewide race decisively. When MSNBC host Joy Reid questioned her authenticity as a Black leader the following year, Earle-Sears responded sharply: “They don’t know what to do with Black people who think for themselves.” A Jamaican immigrant and successful business owner, she has built her political profile on education reform and public safety, drawing support from voters across racial and economic backgrounds.

Other conservative figures have reported similar treatment. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has endured decades of caricature and suggestions of intellectual dependency despite an extensive judicial record. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina faced personal insinuations from media commentators during the 2024 election cycle even as polling showed rising support for Republican economic messages among Black voters.

Usha Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants, graduated at the top of her section at Yale Law School and built a strong legal career before stepping back to focus on raising her children. Her husband credited her in Hillbilly Elegy as his “Yale spirit guide,” someone who helped him navigate elite academic and cultural spaces. For Vance and his supporters, Psaki’s portrayal of Usha as a woman in need of rescue unfairly reduces a high-achieving professional to a stereotype.

Psaki has clashed with Vance before. Earlier this year, she drew criticism from him after responding to a Minnesota school shooting by declaring that “prayer is not freaking enough,” a remark Vance characterized as dismissive of faith.

The latest controversy underscores the ongoing debate surrounding identity politics in the United States—particularly whether the principles invoked by progressives are applied consistently across ideological lines. For Vance, Psaki’s comments about his wife were not just a personal attack but an example of what he views as a broader and troubling trend.