US Second Lady Usha Vance briefly lost her footing while carrying her infant son down helicopter steps at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. She quickly regained her balance and continued with her family ahead of a trip to Alaska on October 5.
Video shared by USA Today showed Usha apparently missing a step with Alec Neel Vance strapped to her chest in a baby carrier. She caught herself, remained upright and immediately turned her attention to the infant.
Usha appeared to soothe Alec before smiling and continuing. People reported that she held the banister, composed herself and patted the baby’s back while waiting for her husband.
OMG. Second lady Usha Vance, 9-Week-Old son in a carrier, diaper bag on her shoulder, loses her footing on the Marine One stairs. 🙏
She steadies herself. The baby stays in the carrier. Everyone’s ok. https://t.co/zBZpim7acw
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) October 5, 2026
Vice President JD Vance followed behind, carrying their four-year-old daughter, Mirabel. The family then walked towards the aircraft waiting to take them to Anchorage.
Alaska visit marks personal milestone
Vance was due to headline a Republican National Committee rally supporting Senator Dan Sullivan’s reelection campaign against Democrat Mary Peltola.
The journey also carried personal significance for Usha: Alaska would complete her visits to all 50 US states.
“Usha and a couple of the kids are joining,” Vance told reporters before departure.
“This is Usha’s 50th state, which is why we are bringing a nine-week-old baby on a 7.5-hour flight to Alaska,” he said. He then joked about how the journey might affect his appearance at the rally.
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“so if I give a speech tonight and I look haggard and stressed out, that’s exactly why.”
The Associated Press also reported that the couple took their two youngest children on the campaign trip. Vance described it as their first long flight with the baby.
Although Vance called Alec nine weeks old, his reported July 19 birth date puts him at 11 weeks on October 5.
A family of six
The couple welcomed Alec at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He joined siblings Ewan, nine, Vivek, six, and Mirabel, four.
His arrival marked the first birth to a sitting US vice president’s family in more than 150 years, according to AP.
President Donald Trump shared one of Alec’s earliest public photographs before his parents posted their own introduction.
Trump’s Truth Social post showed the newborn in hospital alongside his three older siblings.
Usha and JD later shared a series of family photographs on Instagram, thanking well-wishers and acknowledging the challenges of photographing four children.
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“Thank you for all the good wishes as we settle into life as a family of six,” the couple wrote.
They introduced their youngest son with “Meet Alec” and invited followers to “enjoy these attempts at taking a decent family photo with four kids!”
Monday’s brief stumble occurred as the family moved between aircraft. The footage described in the reports showed Usha recover her footing and continue towards the Alaska-bound flight.
