Incoming VP Family Blocked From Visit

A former vice president’s team refused a customary courtesy for an incoming family with three young children—another norm bent for politics, not the people.

Story Snapshot

Outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris did not invite JD Vance for the traditional pre-inaugural courtesy visit to the official residence.
An early request from Usha Vance for childproofing details was initially rebuffed by a Harris political appointee before Navy staff later engaged.
Navy residence officials provided an overview before Christmas, and Doug Emhoff spoke with Usha Vance by phone for about 40 minutes.
Reports disagree about 2021 precedent, but agree no invitation was extended to the Vances before their Jan. 20 move-in.

What Happened: Courtesy Visit Declined, Logistics Shifted to Navy Staff

Multiple bipartisan sources reported that Kamala Harris did not extend the customary pre-inauguration invitation or tour of the vice president’s residence to incoming Vice President JD Vance and his family ahead of their Jan. 20 move-in. Usha Vance sought childproofing and logistics details in November and, according to reporting, a Harris political appointee initially rebuffed the outreach. The Naval Observatory’s apolitical residence office later stepped in, providing an overview before Christmas as practical planning proceeded through official Navy channels.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-wouldnt-let-vance-kids-tour-the-veeps-house-before-inauguration-vp-says

Harris and Vance reportedly did not speak directly during this period. Instead, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Usha Vance connected for roughly 40 minutes “last week” relative to mid-January reporting, discussing arrangements for the Vance children. Both sides’ spokespeople declined public comment in the detailed reporting. The result: the Vance family’s first physical entry to the Naval Observatory home would occur at move-in, despite behind-the-scenes logistics advancing under Navy stewardship.

Why It Matters: Norms, Civility, and the Role of Nonpartisan Custodians

The vice president’s residence, managed by Navy staff, has long relied on informal courtesies to smooth transitions—including family walk-throughs that help with safety planning for young children. Those courtesies are traditions, not law, but they reinforce continuity and civic respect between administrations. When political offices withhold such meetings, nonpartisan custodians still keep the machinery working. That is what happened here: apolitical Navy officials provided layouts and logistics, ensuring move-in readiness despite the absence of a political courtesy visit.

For many readers, the issue extends beyond etiquette. Courtesy tours help parents assess stairways, balconies, and security features in a historic home not designed for toddlers. The incoming vice president’s family reportedly includes three children under eight, making childproofing more than a nicety. Even as the Navy advanced preparations, the lack of a hands-on tour for the family before move-in underscored how partisan strain can chip away at cooperative traditions without halting government operations altogether.

The Disputed Precedent: What Happened in 2021 and What’s Clear Now

Coverage has highlighted conflicting accounts about whether Harris herself received a pre-tour in 2021 when transitioning from the Pence family. Advisers to Mike Pence say Harris and Emhoff had a quiet visit; Harris’s team has pointed to the pandemic, travel, and crises that complicated traditional interactions that year. That dispute does not change the verified facts in this case: no invitation was extended to JD Vance for a pre-inaugural sit-down or tour, even as Navy staff worked the checklists and Emhoff later spoke with Usha Vance by phone.

This episode illustrates a broader lesson for constitutionalists and norms-focused readers: formal institutions endure because nonpartisan professionals uphold them, but informal courtesies depend on goodwill. When goodwill breaks down, families—and by extension the public—lose the civic signals that say Americans can disagree without being disagreeable. The government house still runs on time. The welcome mat, however, can become one more casualty of zero-sum politics.