In the wake of a tense incident at a July 13 rally in Butler County, former President Donald Trump has made a significant decision for his 2024 election bid by selecting Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. This move thrusts Vance, a staunch Trump supporter, into the spotlight amid a flurry of media attention leading up to the November elections, particularly if Trump secures the presidency.
However, shortly after being named the Republican vice presidential nominee, Vance and his Indian-origin wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, faced a barrage of negative racial criticism from critics on the far right and beyond. This backlash extended beyond regular social media users to influential figures with significant platforms, amplifying harmful rhetoric online.
MAGA Attacks JD Vance’s Wife with Racist Comments
White nationalist figure Nick Fuentes was among those who contributed to the backlash. The American far-right commentator experienced a racist outburst during his live broadcast, and said, “What kind of man marries somebody that isn’t a Christian? What kind of man marries somebody named Usha? Clearly, he doesn’t value his racial identity, his heritage. Clearly, he doesn’t value his religion. He doesn’t marry a woman that professes Jesus Christ? What does that say about him.”
“What kind of man marries somebody that isn’t a Christian? What kind of man marries somebody named Usha? Clearly, he doesn’t value his racial identity, his heritage. Clearly, he doesn’t value his religion. He doesn’t marry a woman that professes Jesus Christ? What does that say… https://t.co/uffwhFcu58
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) July 17, 2024
Another white supremacist live-streamer, Jaden McNeil, used X/Twitter to join a racially charged controversy with others engaging in racist discourse. Sharing a family photo of Vance, his wife, and their newborn, he posted on the platform: “I’m sure this guy is going to be great on immigration.”
I’m sure this guy is going to be great on immigration pic.twitter.com/6wOyfTnKpt
— Jaden McNeil (@JadenPMcNeil) July 15, 2024
“There is an obvious Indian coup taking place in the US right before our eyes,” far-right conspiracy theorist Stew Peters said on the microblogging platform. He also wrote: “Trump VP nominee @JDVance1 and his Indian wife have three children named: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel. He’s not one of us.”
There is an obvious Indian coup taking place in the US right before our eyes. https://t.co/VzNZpfj9QE pic.twitter.com/Wy5fCBxO1Z
— Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) July 16, 2024
The prejudiced assaults on Vance and his multiracial family witnessed X users stooping to an unacceptable level, with many resorting to mocking Usha Chilukuri based on her religious background.
“The most scandalous fact about Vance is not that he supports abortion in some cases. The most scandalous fact is that his wife is Hindu. If someone is disqualified from church leadership with an explicit failure, civil leadership should also be off the table,” wrote user @AnonPresby.
What went wrong? pic.twitter.com/pQboleFzmx
— Ray (@raymo_g) July 16, 2024
US Grassroots Advocacy Group Condemns “Hinduphobic” Attacks on Usha Vance
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), an advocacy and civil rights group representing the Hindu community in North America, quickly responded on X, condemning the “Hinduphobic” insults directed at Vance’s wife aimed at dehumanizing her.
For those who deny #Hinduphobia…
The selection of Sen. Vance on the Republican ticket and the #Hindu background of his wife #UshaChilukuri, has triggered a torrent of hate & abuse. Vile tropes, graphic imagery, and slurs from haters on the right & the left. 1/n#JDVance #JD pic.twitter.com/WrUsTZOTw1
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) July 16, 2024
“For those who deny #Hinduphobia…
The selection of Sen. Vance on the Republican ticket and the #Hindu background of his wife #UshaChilukuri, has triggered a torrent of hate & abuse. Vile tropes, graphic imagery, and slurs from haters on the right & the left,” CoHNA raised the issue on X, presenting screenshots that highlighted instances of internet users engaging in the objectionable online tirades.
The civil rights group based in North America connected the use of various derogatory terms laden with stereotypes about Hindus and “the widespread use of imagery associating Hinduism with dirt, filth, and violence” to findings from a 2022 Network Contagion Research Institute report. They also highlighted the “significant overlap between those promoting anti-Semitism and those targeting Hindus” in a subsequent tweet.
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The ongoing discussion soon introduced the caste dimension. “Since #caste is quite deliberately taught as Hindu (starting with textbooks & dictionaries), the easiest and most common way to attack or smear Hindu individuals & ideas is to reduce them to their purported caste and tar them as different/oppressive – no matter the context.”
CoHNA’s statement emphasized the discussions surrounding Usha Chilukuri’s religious background. They concluded their thread by asserting the “existence of Hinduphobia” with the following tweets. “And while ALL #minorities face hate, we see there is a sliding scale. And yes – #Hinduism faces the worst end of it… Even worse – #Hindus see academics, organizations and media use their institutional privilege to deny the existence of Hinduphobia, versus helping them.”
“This is why CoHNA exists-to call out and fight hate and #Hinduphobia. We will not shy away from asking for our space, for the right to be proud practicing Hindus – be it politics or schools, workplaces, and community spaces. @JDVance1
Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah”
Usha Chilukuri Vance, J.D. Vance’s wife, brings strong credentials and a deep connection to Indian culture. A litigator at a national firm, she is the daughter of Indian immigrants. She has a bachelor’s degree in History from Yale University and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge. Usha has clerked for Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh. She and J.D. Vance met at Yale Law School and married in 2014 with a Hindu priest conducting a separate ceremony. They have three children.
Usha Vance has been instrumental in her husband’s success, helping him organize his thoughts for his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” which was turned into a film in 2020. She has occasionally appeared with him during his Senate campaign. Usha’s background and insights have been praised for adding diversity and helping J.D. Vance navigate US-India relations.
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