JD Vance Bio 2026: Age, Height, Wife Usha, Net Worth, Hillbilly Elegy, Vice Presidency, Controversies & Signal Chat Scandal
J.D. Vance is the 41 years 5 months old 50th Vice President of the United States, a bestselling author, Iraq-War Marine, and venture capitalist who rocketed from Appalachian poverty to the second-highest office in the land in under a decade. His memoir Hillbilly Elegy became a cultural touchstone, his Senate tenure lasted just 25 months, and his close alliance with donald trump now places him a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman) |
| Nick Name | JD, Hillbilly Jedi |
| Profession | Vice President, Author, Venture Capitalist |
| Birth Date | August 2, 1984 |
| Age | 41 years 5 months old |
| Birth Place | Middletown, Ohio, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | Hillbilly Elegy, VPOTUS, Trump ally |
| Ethnicity | Scots-Irish / Appalachian |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | ≈ 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Qualification | BA (Ohio State), JD (Yale Law) |
| Religion | Catholic (convert) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Usha Chilukuri Vance (2014-present) |
| Children | Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel |
| Family Tree | Donna & Ed (grandparents), Beverly (mother), Donald Bowman (father) |
| Hobbies | Shooting, OSU football, reading military history |
| Current Work | 50th Vice President of the United States |
| Years Active | 2003–present (USMC 2003-07) |
| Net Worth | $10 million (est. 2026) |
Early Life & Education
James Donald Bowman was born on 2 Aug 1984 in working-class Middletown, Ohio, between Dayton and Cincinnati. His mother beverly aikins (later Vance Hamel) struggled with opioid and alcohol addiction; his biological father Donald Bowman left when JD was a toddler. He was raised chiefly by his maternal grandparents—“Mamaw” and “Papaw”—who instilled discipline and a love of guns and country. After multiple surname changes tied to his mother’s remarriages, he permanently adopted “Vance” at marriage.
Vance graduated Middletown High (2003), enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps (2003-07) as a combat correspondent, deployed to Iraq, and attained corporal rank. He used the GI Bill to earn a BA in political science from Ohio State (2009 summa cum laude) and a JD from Yale Law (2013), where professor Amy Chua mentored him to write Hillbilly Elegy.
Career Journey
2013-2015: Big-Law & Start-Ups
- Litigator, Sidley Austin (2014-15)
- Venture partner, Mithril Capital (Peter Thiel fund) 2016-17
2016-2021: Author & Investor
- June 2016 – Hillbilly Elegy published; #1 NYT bestseller 48 weeks
- 2019 – Founded Narya Capital, $93 M Ohio-focused fund
- 2020 – Netflix film adaptation directed by Ron Howard
2021-2022: Senate Run
- July 2021 – Declared GOP candidacy for Ohio Senate seat
- April 2022 – Secured Donald Trump endorsement, surged from 4th to 1st
- Nov 2022 – Defeated Tim Ryan 53%-47%, became first Millennial Republican senator
2023-2025: Senator & VP-Elect
- Jan 2023 – Sworn in; focused on rail-safety (East Palestine), anti-China investment curbs, opioid-recovery grants
- July 2024 – Selected as Trump’s running mate
- Nov 2024 – Elected 50th VPOTUS
- Jan 10 2025 – Resigned Senate
- Jan 20 2025 – Inaugurated Vice President
2025-2026: Vice Presidency
- chairs National Space Council, border-policy task-force
- Championed “Dismantle DEI Act” to end federal diversity funding
- March 2025 – Embroiled in Signal chat leak over Yemen strike plans
Personal Life
Marriage & Children
Met Usha Chilukuri, a Telugu-American Hindu, at Yale Law. They married in 2014 in a multi-faith ceremony and are raising three children: Ewan (b. 2017), Vivek (b. 2019), and Mirabel (b. 2021). The family splits time between VP residence at Number One Observatory Circle and a Cincinnati condo.
Faith & Hobbies
Converted to Catholicism in 2019, baptized at St. Gertrude Priory. Enjoys skeet shooting, Ohio State football tailgates, and reading military strategy.
Controversies
- Anti-Trump Past – Deleted 2016-17 tweets calling Trump “reprehensible”; apologized on Fox 2021
- Gender-Affirming Care Bill – Co-sponsored 12-year prison penalty for minors’ trans surgery (2023)
- Signal Leak – Added to classified Yemen-strike group chat; administration downplayed breach
- Name Games – Flipped from “J.D.” periods to “JD” for campaign branding
Awards & Achievements
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- NYT Bestseller – Hillbilly Elegy (2016)
- Time 100 Next List (2023)
- 50th Vice President of the United States (youngest since Nixon)
- First Ohio senator without prior office since John Glenn (1974)
Physical Statistics
- Height: 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
- Weight: ≈ 185 lb (84 kg)
- Chest: 42 in
- Waist: 34 in
- Shoe: 11 US
- Hair: Dark Brown
- Eyes: Hazel
Quotes
- “The measure of a society is how it treats those who haven’t been given a fair shot.”
- “I’m a conservative, but not to conserve the status quo—to conserve the things that let people rise.”
- “My job is to make sure forgotten communities are heard in the halls of power.”
Favorites
- Book: The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
- Movie: Saving Private Ryan
- Food: Cincinnati-style chili
- Music: Classic rock – bruce springsteen
- Sports Team: Ohio State Buckeyes
- Firearm: Glock 19 (gift from Mamaw)
Salary & Net Worth 2026
- Net Worth: ≈ $10 million (OpenSecrets 2025 disclosure)
- VP Salary: $284,600 (2026 federal pay scale)
- Book Royalties: ~$1.2 M/yr still rolling from Hillbilly Elegy
- Narya Capital Payouts: estimated $2-3 M carried interest
- Speaking Fees (pre-2025): $50 k per event
Interesting Facts
- Keeps one of Mamaw’s 19 handguns (unloaded) in VP office display case
- First VP to sport a full beard since Schuyler Colfax (1870s)
- Learned conversational Arabic during Iraq deployment
- Owns a 200-acre farm in Ohio for weekend retreats
- Comic-book biography released Dec 2025—“Political Power: JD Vance”
Did You Know Already?
JD Vance is the first U.S. Vice President who previously served fewer than 26 months in any elected office before assuming the role.
Social Media Links
- Twitter/X: @JDVance
- Instagram: @vp_jdvance
- Facebook: Vice President JD Vance
- White House: whitehouse.gov/administration/jd-vance
FAQs
Q1: How old is JD Vance in 2026?
41 years 5 months old
Q2: What is JD Vance’s real name?
James Donald Bowman—legally changed to James David Vance after adoption by grandparents and marriage.
Q3: Did JD Vance serve in the military?
Yes, U.S. Marine Corps 2003-07, corporal, Iraq deployment.
Q4: Who is the Second Lady?
Usha Chilukuri Vance, attorney and daughter of Indian immigrants.
Q5: What is Hillbilly Elegy about?
A memoir detailing Appalachian culture, family trauma and upward mobility.
Conclusion
From a troubled Ohio childhood to the vice-presidential balcony, JD Vance’s rapid ascent embodies modern American reinvention. Whether you cheer or challenge his populist conservatism, his influence on Trump-era policy and working-class rhetoric will echo for years.
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