Doug Emhoff's Scandal With Ex-Wife Doesn't Help Kamala Divorce Rumors

Once a cheater, always a cheater?! Doug Emhoff has never shied away from publicly discussing his first marriage to Kerstin Emhoff. But on the heels of all those pesky rumors that his marriage to Kamala Harris is on the rocks, he may wish he hadn't been so forthcoming. 

As you may recall, Doug made headlines in August 2024 when he admitted to being unfaithful during his marriage to Kerstin after the Daily Mail published a story claiming that he had an affair with one of his daughter's teachers. "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," he said in a statement to CNN. 

It's been widely rumored that Harris actually blames Doug for her losing the 2024 United States presidential election, and let's be honest, that scandal from his first marriage certainly doesn't help matters. "There's plenty of blame to go around as far as Kamala is concerned and Doug has his share," a source told the Daily Mail in January 2025. "Doug did Kamala no favors during the election — frankly, he looked like a hypocritical a** after the bombshells that he had got his child's nanny pregnant while married to his first wife and assaulted his ex-girlfriend on the heels of his 'I am woman' crusade.'" (It should be noted that Emhoff has vehemently denied the claim that he has ever slapped a woman. "Any suggestion that he would or has ever hit a woman is false," a spokesperson for Emhoff told Semafor, via CNN.)

Sadly, according to Amy Prenner, Communications Expert and Founder of The Prenner Group, Doug Emhoff's past scandalous transgressions and shady side rearing their ugly head again and subsequently sparking divorce rumors is simply par for the course. "When someone in the public eye, like Doug Emhoff, owns up to past mistakes — especially something as personal as infidelity — it can easily resurface old gossip or spark new speculation, even if their current partner already knows the full story. That's the challenge with public life: even honesty can be twisted or used out of context," she exclusively tells Nicki Swift. 

It should also be noted that Kamala Harris might not be the only one feeling resentful. As you may recall, Emhoff suffered a tragic career blow in April 2025 when President Donald Trump sacked him from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, a job he presumably would have kept had Harris won the election. That alone would be enough to make a spouse feel bitter.

Still, Prenner was careful to note that just because Emhoff's scandalous past has been dredged up, that doesn't mean it's a current representation of his marriage to Harris. Prenner advises, "The best way for a couple to shut down the noise is by showing they're in sync. That doesn't mean staging moments — it means being present for each other in real ways, whether that's at public events, in interviews, or even just through subtle gestures that show support."

Following the rampant divorce rumors, Doug Emhoff and Kamala Harris have been seemingly working overtime to dispel all of the chatter plaguing their marriage by displaying a united front to the public. In early May 2025, they had a date night watching "Othello" on Broadway at The Barrymore Theatre. And later that same month, they hightailed it to Australia for a couple's getaway. As evidenced in Emhoff's Instagram post, it appears the trip was all pleasure for the couple. "This makes me so happy to see you both so happy and getting some relaxation and exploring time!" one of Emhoff's followers posted in the comments section. Meanwhile, another wrote, "I love that you two are living your best life."

"People can tell when a relationship is solid. You don't need to overshare or go on the defensive," Amy Prenner explains. "The most effective message is consistency — appearing grounded, connected, and clearly unbothered by the chatter. That kind of quiet strength speaks volumes and shows that their relationship is built on trust, not tabloid headlines." So, uh, no faking it 'til you make it, folks. At least not when it comes to matters of the heart!