7 Things to Know About Doug Emhoff's Affair: When It Happened, His Ex-Wife's Reaction and More
A Report Revealed Doug Emhoff's Affair With One of His Daughter's Nanny
The Daily Mail exclusively revealed that Vice President Kamala Harris' husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, cheated on his first wife, Kerstin Emoff, with their daughter Ella's nanny.
A close friend told the outlet about Doug's affair with Najen Naylor, the blonde helper who also taught at his children's private school, The Willows, in Culver City, Calif. The infidelity reportedly led to pregnancy, but the woman did not keep the child. However, it was noted that Najen posted a video of a mysterious baby girl in 2009, the same year she would have given birth.
Stacey Brooks, another friend of the nanny, did not deny the claims but refused to give further details.
The media outlet asked Najen for comments, but she only responded by saying, "I’m kind of freaked out right now."
More Things to Know About Najen Naylor
According to sources, Najen left her job as a teacher at the prestigious school following the affair. The Daily Mail also obtained employment records, confirming she worked at The Willows in 2009 while moonlighting as a nanny for Doug and Kerstin.
Najen, 47, studied at Auburn University before moving to Los Angeles in her 20s. Her LinkedIn page also shows that she worked as the "Director of New Business Development" at production company Broadway Video in 2011 before becoming the current Senior Director, Original Entertainment Acquisition & Development at Audible.
Doug and Kerstin Emoff Divorced After the Affair
In May 2009, Doug and the film producer — with whom he shares Ella and Cole — filed for divorce.
The Affair Was Not the Reason Behind His Divorce From Kerstin Emoff
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While there was no known information about Doug and Kerstin's divorce before the report about the affair surfaced, the latter has since released a statement to the Washington Post to clarify the issues surrounding their prior relationship.
“Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons, many years ago,” said Kerstin. “He is a great father to our kids, continues to be a great friend to me and I am really proud of the warm and supportive blended family Doug, Kamala, and I have built together.”
Kamala Harris Knew About Doug Emhoff's Affair
Kamala and Doug met in 2013 and wed in 2014, years after the infidelity ended.
A spokesperson for the Harris campaign, Brian Fallon, declined to comment when asked about the report. However, Politico noted that a person familiar with what happened revealed that Kamala knew about it before their wedding.
Doug Emhoff Acknowledged Infidelity
Doug broke his silence in a statement to CNN, acknowledging he was indeed unfaithful to his first wife.
“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.
Doug Emoff Left the Public Fuming
The revelations have since left the public fuming, mainly since Doug previously spoke about what it would take to be a man.
"[Toxic masculinity] is something I have thought about a lot, something I've spoken about a lot," he told MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart in March 2023. "There's too much of toxicity – masculine toxicity out there."
Doug added, "We've kind of confused what it means to be a man, what it means to be masculine, where you've got this trope out there where you have to be tough, and angry, and lash out to be strong," he proclaimed. "It's just the opposite. You know, strength is how you show your love for people."