Second Ladies in Combat Zones
In several recent speeches to members of the military, President Joe Biden has sprinkled in a curious piece of trivia about his wife, Jill, saying he thinks she is the only second lady to visit a war zone. She isn’t.
Jill Biden accompanied then-Vice President Biden on a visit to Baghdad over the July 4 holiday in 2010. Second ladies Lynne Cheney visited Iraq in 2008, and Karen Pence visited there in 2019.
Biden’s spousal boast came most recently on July 2 in a naturalization ceremony with essential workers and military service members.
“I was telling our new citizens, in the other room before we came in, that one of my most — I don’t know how to say it — fulfilling moments was, as vice president, when I went over to Saddam
