U.S. Second Lady Usha Vance has been tapped to lead the presidential delegation for the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. The announcement came Thursday from the Office of President Donald Trump. The highly anticipated event, which celebrates athleticism and inclusivity, will kick off with its opening ceremony on Friday.

Usha Vance, who is an accomplished lawyer and the wife of Vice President JD Vance, has been married to the VP since 2014, and the couple shares three children. This new role marks a significant moment for the second lady as she represents the United States on an international stage.

During Trump's recent address to a joint session of Congress, Usha was seated next to former high school volleyball player Payton McNabb, who has been vocal about her concerns regarding transgender athletes in women’s sports. McNabb shared her disappointment with Fox News Digital regarding the lack of legislative action to codify Trump’s executive order on the issue. She described the Democrats' response during the event as "so disrespectful," citing their refusal to stand or applaud for various guests with powerful stories, including a young cancer survivor and the family of a victim of a traumatic death. McNabb’s criticism was sharp and, frankly, hard to ignore.

The delegation accompanying Usha Vance to the Games includes a roster of notable names: Shawn Crowley, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy to Italy and San Marino; Trent Michael Morse, deputy assistant to the president; Riley M. Barnes from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Douglass Benning, U.S. Consul General in Milan; Rachel Campos-Duffy, host of "Fox & Friends Weekend" and wife of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy; Boris Epshteyn, senior counsel and advisor to Trump; and Richard Walters, a partner at FGS Global.

The Special Olympics is not just a sporting event; it’s a global celebration of diversity and perseverance. With such an eclectic and influential delegation, the U.S. seems poised to make a strong impression in Turin. Let’s hope the Games themselves don’t get overshadowed by political undertones—it’s about the athletes, after all.

Special Olympics News

Second Lady Usha Vance to Lead Presidential Delegation at Special Olympics World Winter Games