Strange Things About Kamala Harris & Doug Emhoff's Marriage

Note: This article discusses allegations of domestic abuse.

Despite losing the 2024 U.S. presidential election, there is no doubt that Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff's chemistry consistently wiped the floor with Donald and Melania Trump's throughout the campaign. The vice president and her beloved husband, who met in 2013 and married a year later, had a ton of cutesy moments and were definitely more vocal with their admiration for each other than the Trumps have ever been. Doug, for one, has the besotted partner vibe down to a tee, complete with PDA, public declarations of love, and handblown kisses. In fact, it's pretty safe to say that Harris would have won if the election was about which couple seemed better suited.

However, their swoon-worthy relationship isn't without some red flags of its own. One of the major issues was broadcast during the 2024 election: Doug cheated on his first wife, Kerstin Emhoff, and this led to the demise of their marriage. With a history as a cheat, can Doug really be trusted to play by the rules this time around? The only positive side to this revelation is that the second gentleman publicly owned up to his mistakes. Speaking to CNN, he explained, "During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions. I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side." 

His ex-wife also released a statement that shockingly seemed to defend him, clarifying, "Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons, many years ago." Kerstin added that he was a wonderful friend and father and that they had worked together to create a strong and loving blended family with Harris. Unfortunately, not all of Doug's exes feel the same way, and another accusation spells trouble for him and his current wife.

Also during the presidential election, a woman claiming to be Doug Emhoff's ex alleged to the Daily Mail that he had physically abused her during their relationship back in 2012. For context, the second gentleman divorced his first wife in 2008 and allegedly dated this mystery woman four years later. The alleged ex claimed that he even abused her during the Cannes Film Festival, hitting her so hard that she turned all the way around. "The only thing I could think to do was slap him back. I slapped him on one side, and on the other cheek with the other hand," she recalled, adding, "He's being held out to be the antithesis of who he actually is. And that is utterly shocking." 

Although his accuser refused to make her identity public, she shared pictures of them together with her face blurred out as proof of the former relationship. The woman also referenced three different friends who anonymously backed up her allegations. Eventually, a spokesperson for Emhoff reached out to Semafor to deny the shocking claims, noting simply, "Any suggestion that he would or has ever hit a woman is false." However, when he was faced with the accusations during an appearance on MSNBC, Emhoff's reaction was surprising. Rather than vehemently denying them, he reasoned: "It's all a distraction. It's designed to try to get us off our game," (via the New York Post). 

While this response notably doesn't acknowledge any guilt, it doesn't exactly claim innocence either. And considering that Kamala Harris never addressed the allegations about Doug Emhoff, some commentators understandably wondered if it was to avoid publicizing false claims or because she knows deep down there is some truth to them.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.