Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian details his work with Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka on paid parental leave amid JD Vance's "more babies" push

Serena Williams' husband and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian reignited the conversation about paid parental leave in the United States. Ohanian highlighted his efforts to secure 12 weeks of paid leave for federal employees in collaboration with Ivanka Trump in 2019.

Ohanian's parental journey began in September 2017, following the birth of his daughter, Olympia. Serena Williams faced severe complications during childbirth, including a near-fatal pulmonary embolism. Ohanian took 16 weeks of paid paternity leave to take care of his wife and newborn daughter, a period that profoundly highlighted the importance of paid family leave for American workers.

Ohanian's advocacy efforts gained significant traction in October 2019 when he met with President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump at the White House. The collaboration with Ivanka and other policymakers resulted in a landmark achievement: 12 weeks of paid parental leave for the armed forces.

On January 24, 2025, Ohanian shared a clip of Vice President JD Vance's first public address in Washington, D.C., since being elected to office earlier in the week.

Speaking at the annual 'March for Life,' Vance emphasized the importance of fostering a culture that supports families and encourages the birth of "more babies" in the United States. In his caption, Ohanian suggested that providing paid parental leave could be a solution to achieving this goal.

"I got you! Paid Family Leave! I worked with Ivanka Trump to get 12 weeks for Fed employees and congress and POTUS made it happen. Expand it to all Americans!!" Ohanian wrote.

Ohanian added:

"Been fighting for this for over 5 years now. If we really care about families — this is the best way to support them when a new baby shows up!! Moms and dads benefit, too."

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Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian advocates for paid family leave as a win-win for employers and employees

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian (Image source: Getty)

In a 2022 interview with CBS Mornings, Alexis Ohanian expressed his belief that offering paid family leave to working parents during challenging times benefits employers and employees.

The 41-year-old emphasized that individuals navigating the arrival of a new baby or dealing with stressful personal circumstances are unlikely to perform at their best in the workplace.

"I'm commenting at this as a business leader. I'm saying this is vital because I want my employees to be working when they are at work. I want them to be their wholeselves. I want them to be focused. And if you have a newborn, certainly if you have a situation with complications or extra stress, you're not gonna be your best self at work," he said (at 03:24).

Alexis Ohanian further explained that paid family leave can lead to improved health outcomes for mothers and their newborns.