Kamala Harris broke decades of transition tradition by refusing to invite incoming Vice President JD Vance and his family for a courtesy tour of the Naval Observatory residence, leaving three young children to enter their new home blind on Inauguration Day.

Harris Team Blocks Traditional Courtesy Visit

Multiple Democratic and Republican sources confirmed Harris never extended the customary invitation for Vance and his family to tour the Naval Observatory residence before moving in on January 20. The traditional courtesy visit allows incoming vice presidents to familiarize themselves with security protocols, layout, and practical arrangements. Biden hosted the Pence family for such a visit in 2016, demonstrating the bipartisan nature of this transition norm.

Childproofing Request Initially Denied

Usha Vance’s November request for childproofing information and logistics details was initially rebuffed by a Harris political appointee. The Vance family has three children under eight years old, making safety preparations crucial for the move-in process. This denial forced the family to seek alternative channels through Navy residence officials, who eventually provided an overview of the house layout and practical considerations before Christmas.

Kamala Wouldn’t Let Vance Kids Tour The Veep’s House Before Inauguration, VP Says https://t.co/Ein3PDQgMx The demoncrat party is total trash….

— C4 (@C4RECKONING) August 12, 2025

Navy Officials Step In After Political Snub

Navy aides overseeing the Naval Observatory ultimately facilitated the transition coordination that Harris’s political staff refused to provide. The apolitical residence office conducted briefings and arranged accommodations for the Vance children, demonstrating how permanent government staff maintained continuity despite the breach in political courtesy. Doug Emhoff and Usha Vance eventually spoke for approximately 40 minutes, with arrangements reportedly underway for child safety measures.

Unprecedented Break From Transition Norms

This marks a significant departure from established transition protocols that have traditionally transcended partisan politics. The vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory has served as the official VP home since the 1970s, with courtesy pre-inauguration visits becoming standard practice. Harris’s decision to withhold this customary gesture represents another erosion of democratic norms, forcing the incoming administration to rely entirely on career military staff for basic transition coordination.

Both Harris and Vance spokespeople declined to comment on the situation, though Vance has publicly characterized the denial as preventing his children from touring their future home. The Vance family’s first entry into the residence will occur on move-in day, without the benefit of prior familiarization that has been standard for decades.

Kamala Wouldn’t Let Vance Kids Tour The Veep’s House Before Inauguration, VP Sayshttps://t.co/m3s5w47zYo

— ✪TexanOnPurpose✪ (@TexanOnPurpose) August 12, 2025

This breach of transition etiquette underscores the continued polarization affecting even basic governmental courtesies, while highlighting how permanent staff institutions maintain essential functions when political cooperation fails.

Sources:

Kamala Harris skips invitation to JD Vance to VP house; Usha wants to know how to childproof mansion

Harris declines to invite Vance for courtesy visit to vice president’s residence

Vice President Harris Declines Pre-Tour of Residence for Incoming Vance Family

VP Harris has not invited JD Vance to tour official residence, CBS News reports