Politics
JD Vance’s wife is given secret role in Trump’s deal-making inner circle: ‘I’ll have Usha look’
Yale-educated Second Lady Usha Vance took a role during a key diplomatic moment in the Trump-Vance administration earlier this year, according to a new book.
Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America, is the latest book from author Jonathan Karl, who is also the ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent.
In his latest work, Karl claims that Usha, wife of Vice President JD Vance, was consulted on a high-stakes minerals deal that was in the works with Ukraine in February of this year.
During the discussion of the deal between Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump, questions were raised about whether or not the proposal had gone through proper legal vetting.
Karl writes that JD noted, ‘I can have Usha take a look at it,’ per Politico, which reviewed excerpts of the book. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House and the second lady’s team for comment.
Karl adds of the minerals deal scene, ‘And with that, the vice president asked the Second Lady of the United States—who, like Steve Bannon, had no role whatsoever on the National Security Council—to come over to the West Wing and review a bilateral agreement that was supposed to be signed the next day.’
The Vances met as law students at Yale University, and Usha worked as an associate attorney in private practice and as a law clerk for both the U.S Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
Eventually, the mineral deal did not come to fruition after a disastrous visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Oval Office, during which he sparred with the Vice President.
Usha Vance stands for a ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery on January 19, 2025, in Virginia
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance are pictured in the Rose Garden of the White House
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Brazil’s President on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Vance publicly dressed down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not being respectful enough to President Donald Trump during a dramatic Oval Office meeting at the White House back in February.
At the time, the vice president launched into attack mode after he felt Trump was being disrespected by the Ukrainian president.
‘Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,’ Vance said after Zelensky repeatedly interrupted and disputed statements made by Trump.
A source familiar with the meeting at the White House told the Daily Mail at the time that Zelensky’s demeanor was surprising to American officials in the room.
‘No one expected the meeting to play out as it did, because nobody expected [him] to act that way,’ the source said.
Vance noted that Biden stood up for four years and ‘talked tough’ while ‘thumping his chest’ but Putin invaded Ukraine anyway.
‘The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy,’ he said back in February.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that he’s still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike’s comment followed his expulsion from the party by the faction led by National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki.
Turaki had formally dispatched expulsion certificates to 11 prominent party chieftains, including Wike, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umaru Bature, Kamarudeen Ajibade, SAN, Abdurahman Muhammad Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
He said their expulsion was aimed at sanitising the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reacting to the development on Friday, Wike dismissed the claim while assuring that he would continue to work with other party members in making PDP a relevant opposition party.
The minister spoke while addressing journalists after inspecting the Interchange bridge and road linking Gwarinpa with Jahi and direct to Katampe, Gishiri and Maitama.
He said, “Those that are factionalized are bound to leave the party, I’m still in PDP and you can see that not everybody has left.
“We still have good numbers and we will continue to work together and that’s what I have said to the party. Put your house in order because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that is losing.
“So those who are worried, we can work together to see how the party can remain a relevant opposition.”
The governments of Abia and Imo States have announced the launching of a joint security taskforce and surveillance along the Aba-Owerri expressway, starting from Owerrinta in Abia State all the way to Owerri, Imo State.
The launch followed recent attacks by criminals on the expressway, including kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
The formation of the joint security taskforce and surveillance was announced by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity.
His statement read in part: “Arising from a strategic emergency security meeting held today, 4th December, 2025, by the Governors of Abia and Imo Sates at the Imo State Government Owerri House, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti and His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma resolved to set up a joint security Taskforce that shall consist of Soldiers, Naval Personnel, Police Officers , DSS Personnel, and other Government Security Agencies.
“The joint security Taskforce shall, starting from tomorrow 5th December 2025, patrol the road 24 hours nonstop, while carrying out massive surveillance in the surrounding bushes using sophisticated drones and other modern security equipment.”
According to the statement, Governor Alex Otti commended the Governor of Imo State for arresting the criminals who carried out an attack on His advanced team and other passengers a few days ago.
“The two Governors, while assuring citizens plying the road on a daily basis and those returning home for Christmas of their safety and security, warn that there would be severe consequences for any criminal caught on the road going forward”, Ekeoma concluded.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted to the senate two lists of 34 career and 31 non career ambassadors nominees for screening and confirmation.
Prominent names listed as non career ambassadors include Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Victor Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also listed as non career ambassadors nominees are Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Vice Admiral Ete Ibas, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Nora Daduut, Fatima Ajimobi, and Senator Ita Enang among others.
The two lists brings to 68 number of persons nominated so far as ambassadors awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
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