JD Vance Blasts CBS News After Finding They Targeted His Mother-In-Law to Push a Political Point
In recent years, we’ve witnessed how the establishment media has eagerly exploited political differences—whether real or fabricated—within President Donald Trump’s family to push a narrative against him.
Now, with Vice President J.D. Vance in the national spotlight, those same tactics are being directed at him.
On Wednesday, CBS News ran a story highlighting how Lakshmi Chilukuri, the mother of Second Lady Usha Vance, has been an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of California San Diego, where she serves as provost of Sixth College.
The article pointed out that Chilukuri contributed to launching a pilot course on race, participated in the biological sciences diversity committee, and has been deeply involved in DEI initiatives—efforts the Trump administration has actively sought to curtail.
UC San Diego features a letter from Chilukuri addressed to incoming students that underscores the institution’s “steadfast adherence to principles that drive equity, inclusion, and an embrace of diversity.”
“As we come into the new academic year with the pandemic not quite yet in the rearview mirror, with issues of equity and systemic racism, anti-Blackness and anti-Asian racism yet unresolved, we have before us both opportunity and responsibility,” Chilukuri stated in the undated letter.
CBS News reached out to Vance for comment regarding his differing stance from his mother-in-law.
“I don’t like DEI, and I’m proud of what our administration has done on that front,” he told the outlet.
However, he didn’t stop there, making it clear that CBS News was engaging in manipulative journalism.
“I love my mother-in-law. If she doesn’t share my views on DEI I suppose I’ll have to do what 99 percent of Americans do when confronted with a family member who doesn’t always agree with them: get over it,” Vance said.
“I’ll choose instead to focus on her kindness and the fact that she’s an incredible mother and loving grandmother to the most important people in my life.”
He went further, calling out the motivations behind the piece: “because CBS has decided that harassing my mother-in-law is a reasonable price in order to attack President Trump.”
Chilukuri did not respond to CBS News’ emails.
This likely suggests, to her credit, that she is not attempting to undercut her son-in-law’s work despite their ideological differences.
Vance’s response is spot on.
Most American families include members with differing political views, yet they manage to coexist by agreeing to disagree.
This country has long been one where the outspoken progressive college student and the eccentric conspiracy-theorist uncle can gather for Thanksgiving or Christmas while setting aside their political differences.
It appears the Vance family is no exception.
Ultimately, this article only served to reinforce Vance’s position while exposing how the establishment media thrives on exacerbating political divisions—even among families who, at their core, love and respect one another.