In a bit of political drama, it seems the incoming Vance family won’t be getting the usual pre-inaugural tour of the vice president’s residence, according to two sources familiar with the situation. They told CNN that JD Vance, who’s about to take on the role, hasn’t been invited to visit the residence by its current occupant, Vice President Kamala Harris.
While this may seem unusual, it’s not totally out of the ordinary. In fact, it’s become a bit of a recent tradition for incoming vice presidents to tour their new home before officially taking office. However, things were a bit different for Harris herself—she didn’t get a pre-inaugural visit either, mainly due to the challenges of the pandemic and the tense political climate surrounding the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election challenges in 2020.
Now, with Vance’s more contentious campaign, it seems the lack of an invite isn’t too surprising. In the run-up to the election, Vance didn’t hold back, calling Harris “trash” during a rally. There were also several pointed attacks about her racial identity from both Vance and Trump, further straining relations.
Since the 2024 election, Vance and Harris haven’t spoken, according to a Vance adviser. However, it’s worth noting that Harris did make a call to President-elect Trump after his victory to concede the race, showing a bit of formality despite the heat of the campaign.
For a bit of perspective, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this. In 2016, Vice President Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Mike Pence sat down for lunch and a tour of the residence—something they did for about two hours. And back in 2008, Vice President Dick Cheney welcomed Joe Biden to the residence for a nearly hour-long meeting.
But let’s not forget, while things may have been chilly between the two political sides, there has been some back-and-forth between the Vance team and Harris’s office. A source familiar with the vice president’s schedule told CNN that the Vance family had a conversation with the Navy team responsible for the Naval Observatory residence just before Christmas. This call was focused on the logistics of the move and how things would work when they take over the residence.
And while the Vances might not be touring the house just yet, there was a 45-minute call between second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Usha Vance, the incoming second lady, last week. However, details of that conversation remain under wraps.
The vice president’s residence, located on the grounds of the US Naval Observatory just a few miles from the White House, remains an iconic setting for any incoming official, but it seems the Vance family will have to wait a little longer for their personal tour.
