Multiple sources have revealed that Vice President Kamala Harris has not invited incoming Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha, and their three young children for a formal tour or sit-down.
In November, Usha Vance reached out, through intermediaries, to staff for Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff to inquire about childproofing the residence for their children—Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel—all under the age of eight, according to a CBS News report. Initially, a Harris political appointee rebuffed these queries, but communication later opened between the Vance team and Navy aides who manage the residence.
Before Christmas, Navy officials provided an overview of the house to address questions about the layout, logistics, and practicalities of the move-in. Last week, Usha Vance reportedly spoke with Emhoff for about 40 minutes, and arrangements are now underway to accommodate the Vance children, according to sources close to Harris.
However, individuals familiar with Harris note she was not given a chance to visit the home before taking office in 2021. Her transition occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and shortly after the Capitol riot, amid Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his election defeat.
Advisers to former Vice President Mike Pence dispute this, asserting that he discreetly invited Harris and Emhoff to tour the residence during the Trump administration’s final days. This invitation, they say, was kept quiet due to Trump’s reluctance to cooperate with the incoming administration. Ultimately, no formal meeting between Pence and Harris took place, sources from both parties confirmed.
Supporters of Harris defended her decision not to host Vance, citing the broken tradition during the Trump-Pence tenure and noting that her team has been preoccupied with canceled overseas trips and California wildfire response. By contrast, in 2016, then-Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill welcomed the Pences to the residence shortly after the election.
“We’re just very grateful for the hospitality today of the vice president and second lady,” Pence said at the time.
Harris did not move into the Naval Observatory residence until April 2021, nearly three months after her swearing-in, due to necessary repairs to the house.
