The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has strongly criticised US Vice President JD Vance over his recent comments about his wife, Usha Vance, her Hindu heritage, and the possibility of her converting to Christianity.
In a pointed post on X (formerly Twitter), the advocacy group questioned why, if Usha had inspired Vance to rediscover his Christian faith, he hadn’t shown similar interest in learning from Hinduism.
“With respect, @JDVance, if your wife encouraged you to re-engage with your faith, why not reciprocate that and engage with Hinduism too?” the foundation asked.
HAF went on to explain that Hinduism, unlike many other faiths, does not seek to convert others. “Hinduism is inherently inclusive and pluralistic,” it said, adding that the religion embraces multiple ways of understanding the divine.
HAF Condemns ‘Compulsion to Convert’
The foundation also criticised what it described as “a compulsion from some religious communities to convert us to another way of thinking,” calling such actions disrespectful and harmful. HAF cited a “long history of denigrating Hindu beliefs and attempting conversions through sometimes unethical means.”
“In recent months, we’ve seen an outpouring of anti-Hindu sentiment online, often from explicitly Christian sources,” the group said, noting that such attitudes reflect “a belief that there is only one true path to salvation, a concept Hinduism simply doesn’t have.”
With respect @JDVance, if your wife encouraged you to re-engage with your faith, why not reciprocate that and engage with Hinduism too?
If you did you may well learn that Hinduism doesn’t share the need to wish your spouse comes around to see things as you do in terms of… https://t.co/fkQQgclNDl
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) October 31, 2025
The foundation urged the Vice President to acknowledge Hinduism’s positive influence and to affirm the rights of Hindus to freely practise their faith in the United States.
“You are the Vice President,” HAF wrote. “It’s more than reasonable, and well within precedent, for a Christian public figure like yourself to recognise Hinduism’s positive impact and the rights of Hindus to practise their faith.”
JD Vance responds: ‘My wife has no plans to convert’
The controversy stems from Vance’s appearance at a Turning Point USA event, where he was asked about his interfaith marriage and his views on immigration. Responding, Vance explained that his wife had grown up in a Hindu family “but not a particularly religious one.”
He said that when they first met, both he and Usha were either agnostic or atheist. After he reconnected with Christianity, the couple decided to raise their three children in the Christian faith and enrol them in a Christian school.
“As I’ve told her, and I’ve said publicly, do I hope, eventually, that she is moved by the same thing that moved me in church? Yes, I do,” Vance said, adding that his hope stems from his belief in the Christian gospel.
Amid backlash, Vance later clarified his comments on X, calling the criticism “anti-Christian bigotry.” “Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, one of those beliefs is that we want to share them with others. That’s a completely normal thing,” he wrote.
Vance insisted that he was merely expressing his faith, not trying to impose it. “My wife is the greatest blessing in my life,” he said, crediting her for helping him reconnect with spirituality.
“She encouraged me to re-engage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many in interfaith marriages, I hope she may one day share in what moves me.”
