JD Vance Fires Back at CBS News Over Controversial Article

Vice President JD Vance publicly rebuked CBS News over a controversial article highlighting his mother-in-law’s DEI advocacy, calling it harassment aimed at attacking the Trump administration.

Key Takeaways

JD Vance criticized CBS News for “harassing” his mother-in-law Lakshmi Chilukuri in an article contrasting her DEI work with Trump administration policies.
Despite opposing DEI initiatives, Vance expressed respect for his mother-in-law’s differing views.
Chilukuri, a professor at UC San Diego, has created courses on race and gender and serves on a diversity committee.
CBS News’ parent company Paramount has recently ceased DEI initiatives since Trump took office.
The controversy comes amid Trump’s broader campaign against DEI, including executive orders aimed at dismantling such programs across federal institutions.

Family Politics Clash with Administration Policy

Vice President JD Vance has taken CBS News to task for what he describes as inappropriately targeting his mother-in-law, Lakshmi Chilukuri, in an article about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The news story highlighted Chilukuri’s work promoting DEI at the University of California San Diego, contrasting it with the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate such programs. This personal-political intersection has created tension as Vance balances family relationships with his official stance against DEI policies.

Chilukuri, who has created courses on race, ethnicity, and gender at UC San Diego and serves on a diversity committee, represents the academic approach to DEI that the Trump administration has actively worked to counteract. Vance, who has been married to Chilukuri’s daughter Usha since 2014, maintains that despite policy disagreements, his respect for his mother-in-law transcends politics. The vice president emphasized her role as “an incredible mother and loving grandmother.”

JD Vance scolds CBS for ‘harassing’ his mother-in-law over DEI differences ‘in order to attack’ Trump https://t.co/dqF5E0rs7O pic.twitter.com/ynIqXJEoRO

— New York Post (@nypost) March 13, 2025

Media Ethics and Journalistic Intentions

Vance didn’t mince words about what he perceived as the actual purpose of the CBS article, stating bluntly, “This story exists because CBS has decided that harassing my mother-in-law is a reasonable price in order to attack President Trump.” The accusation suggests CBS News crossed ethical boundaries by bringing a family member into political coverage.

The situation is complicated by existing tensions between the Trump administration and CBS. President Trump recently filed a $20 billion lawsuit against the network, attacking alleged deceptive editing in a “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. This lawsuit context adds another dimension to the current controversy surrounding the Chilukuri article.

DEI Programs Under Scrutiny

The CBS article noted that the Trump administration has taken decisive action to eliminate DEI from federal institutions through executive orders and policy changes. This anti-DEI stance has extended beyond government, influencing corporate America as well. Ironically, CBS News’ own parent company, Paramount, recently ceased using hiring goals related to race, ethnicity, or gender, among other DEI policy reversals.

The controversy highlights the growing national debate over DEI initiatives, with the Trump administration arguing that such programs undermine meritocracy. The administration’s commitment to dismantling DEI structures across various sectors aims to preserve what they consider merit-based systems. Meanwhile, Vance’s situation demonstrates how these policy battles can sometimes intersect with personal relationships, creating complex dynamics for those in public office.