Rumor: Doug Emhoff Had an Affair with Nanny, Got Her Pregnant

The claim that Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff had an affair with a nanny during his first marriage and got her pregnant is currently under investigation.

Emhoff appears to have acknowledged the affair in a statement on the day the story broke, although his language was vague. As of now, neither Emhoff nor his representatives have confirmed any specific details, including whether the woman was a nanny to his daughter, Ella Emhoff.

In August 2024, as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, rumors circulated that her husband Doug Emhoff cheated on his first wife with a nanny, resulting in a pregnancy.

This claim gained significant attention, accumulating over 1.4 million views and 11,000 likes on social media platforms like X, Reddit, Facebook, and TikTok. Some versions of the rumor suggested Emhoff paid off the woman, implying he had given “hush money” similar to former President Donald Trump’s situation with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Other posts suggested that Emhoff’s first marriage ended after his then-wife, Kerstin Emhoff, discovered the affair.

Snopes reached out to the Harris campaign for confirmation of details and will update with responses if received.

On August 3, 2024, Emhoff sent a statement to CNN, appearing to acknowledge the affair during his first marriage after The Daily Mail published an article on it. He did not elaborate on specifics:

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.

CBS News sought to confirm the story independently. However, discrepancies exist between their report and The Daily Mail’s account. While The Daily Mail claimed the woman did not keep the baby, CBS News quoted unnamed sources stating she’d had a miscarriage. According to The Daily Mail, the affair ended the Emhoffs’ marriage, but CBS News’ sources said the couple were already separated when it occurred. Additionally, The Daily Mail stated that the woman was Emhoff’s daughter’s nanny, a claim CBS News contested, saying she was a teacher at his children’s school — but not one of their teachers. The Daily Mail also mentioned a financial settlement between Emhoff and the woman, a detail CBS News did not include.

Snopes has yet to independently confirm these claims. They reached out to both news outlets for additional information on their reporting and will update their findings if they receive responses.

Sources:

Boswell, Josh. ‘Kamala Harris’s Husband Doug Emhoff CHEATED on First Wife with Nanny’. Mail Online, 3 Aug. 2024, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13703933/Kamala-Harris-Doug-Emhoff-cheated-nanny-Najen-Nayler.html.

Cordes, Nancy, and Faris Tanyos. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff Admits Affair during First Marriage – CBS News. 3 Aug. 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/second-gentleman-doug-emhoff-admits-affair-during-first-marriage/.

Dovere, Edward-Isaac. ‘Emhoff Acknowledges Affair during First Marriage after Tabloid Report | CNN Politics’. CNN, 3 Aug. 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/03/politics/doug-emhoff-acknowledges-affair-during-first-marriage/index.html.

Kasprak, Alex. ‘Trump Jury Doesn’t Have to Unanimously Agree on What Crime He Committed to Convict Him?’ Snopes, 29 May 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/unanimously-agree-trump-jury/.