Vice President-elect J.D. Vance is preparing for government.
But meetings to plan policy rollouts and announce appointments at MAGA HQ sometimes have to wait until after family time and a chance to frolic with the children on the grounds of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
These pictures show Trump’s top lieutenant dressed casually in polo shirt and shorts playing with Ewan, seven, Vivek, four, and Mirabel, two, on the sweeping lawn that leads down to the water.
Mom Usha keeps a watchful eye as dad leans over the sea wall with a palm frond, before the kids follow suit and they all pretend to be fishing.
At one point they stretch down to pluck what look like mollusc shells from just above the water line.
It could be any family enjoying the winter sun in Palm Beach, were it not for a robotic figure lurking in the background.
A mechanical Secret Service hound is on watch duty. They have become a frequent sight around Mar-a-Lago as security officials maintain the highest vigilance amid reports of an Iranian plot against the president and his team.
The children look delighted by its presence, following it around and shrieking in delight, according to a witness.
That is just one of the features that the Vance family has to get to used to as it prepares to move into Number One Observatory Circle, the vice president’s official residence.
Vance told DailyMail.com earlier this month that he was annoyed at no longer being allowed to drive, and wanted his minivan back.
But it was all fun on Friday morning as the family had a chance to blow off steam at one of the most exclusive addresses in the country.
Usha wore a red sundress as she kept close to Ewan while he sat on the wall.
She was a frequent traveler aboard Vance’s campaign jet, but would find a seat out of the limelight when her husband took the stage.
They were joined by their children from time to time, including on election day last week.
Vivek raced back to the press cabin that day to shout, ‘Fake news’ at traveling journalists.
Vance addressed supporters at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday night when he described that moment as part of the ‘second best day of the campaign.
‘And then not 15 minutes later, our German Shepherd puppy walked back there and took a s*** right next to where the media sat,’ he claimed.
‘And I think, I think that speaks to how we think of the fake news in this movement.’
Trump’s running mate was joined by other stars of Trump world, for the America First Policy Institute Gala at Mar-a-Lago.
Sylvester Stallone introduced the president elect, who called last week’s victory ‘the most consequential election’ before comparing it with his 2016 win.
‘They would say, “he didn’t win the popular vote.” And we won the popular vote by records now, which so nobody can say that anymore about us,’ Trump said.
He delivered his speech after rocking the political establishment by selecting vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theories Robert F. Kennedy Jr to head the Department of Health and Human Services.