Jill Biden And Doug Emhoff's Body Language In Farewell Address Photo Is Sure To Get People Talking

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and First Lady Jill Biden gave everyone déjà vu at President Joe Biden's farewell address on January 15, 2025. Alongside Jill, Hunter, and Melissa Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and her beloved husband all appeared to be getting visibly emotional as they watched Joe deliver his final Oval Office speech. Although everyone who watched from the sidelines donned matching black outfits as a sign of their unyielding unity, Jill decided to take things a step further. The First Lady reached into Harris' lap to hold onto Emhoff's hand across her, causing the outgoing VP to look slightly uncomfortable in the process. While most people likely saw the gesture as a sweet display of the close bond they had formed over the course of the presidency, others found it odd.

Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff greet each other with... a kiss on the lips?

Is this... normal? pic.twitter.com/HX5p74fJHw

— Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) February 8, 2023

In fact, the hand-holding may even lead some to think back to the awkward time when Jill apparently kissed the Second Gentleman on the lips at Joe's second State of the Union address in 2023. At the time, social media commentators were left scratching their heads at the intimate public display of affection. While the kiss may have rocked the SOTU, a body language expert exclusively told The List that everything was not as it seemed. Jess Ponce III, body language expert, communication coach, and author of "A.W.E.S.O.M.E.," pointed out that the angle of the viral video was deceptive and the pair were actually going for a kiss on the cheek, which was entirely normal for their platonic bond. Ponce further asserted, "Romantic kisses typically are typically complimented with an upper-body connection."

While the platonic public displays of connection may seem bizarre to some, Doug Emhoff and Jill Biden actually have an entirely normal relationship. During President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' joint 2020 interview with People, she confirmed that their respective partners had formed a tight-knit bond on the campaign trail. "To be the spouse of a candidate, that's tough duty," Harris acknowledged. "I think that their bond is about that they can genuinely like each other and have that friendship and can do it together." 

The duo fondly recalled how their spouses had a total blast while they were in the midst of stressful debates and barely even noticed when Harris and Joe asked for feedback on their performances. And yet, in contrast to her close bond with Emhoff, Jill has displayed some chilly behavior around the Vice President, leading many to question if the two women are embroiled in a feud. Those rumors seemed more plausible when Harris and Jill couldn't hide their disdain for each other at Jimmy Carter's funeral. 

A clip posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, seemingly showed the 2024 presidential candidate greeting the Bidens with a cold shoulder as they arrived at the somber occasion. While we may have only started noticing the signs of a feud as Joe's presidency ended, The Wall Street Journal reported that Jill had no love for Harris ever since she called Joe out for his busing policy views during the 2020 Democratic debate. Their rumored feud reportedly caused Emhoff to be a bit unfriendly behind the scenes.