Ella Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’s adult stepdaughter, has publicly rejected reports she suffered a mental health crisis after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
Emhoff’s sobbing, tearful reaction to Harris’s concession speech sparked widespread speculation and rumors she had been hospitalized after the election.
“There’s a rumor about me having a mental breakdown and getting checked into a hospital. Not true,” the 25-year-old wrote on Instagram.
“Also f*** you if you’re out there spreading that. There’s nothing wrong with showing emotion and crying. Anyone who says there is probably needs a good cry.”
The controversy began when Emhoff was photographed sobbing during Harris’s November 6 concession speech at Howard University.
She later shared the image herself, writing, “Truly no words. We are all going to get through this. It just f***ing hurts like a bitch right now and that’s ok.”
Her mother, Kerstin Emhoff, defended her daughter after social media users claimed she had been admitted to a “mental health crisis center” in New York.
“Leave my kids alone!!! Ella is doing great and spending a lovely day with her mom!” she posted. “Having the ability to show your emotions is something we should all hope for.”
In a candid Substack post titled “Soft Pins,” Emhoff described her battle with depression after Harris was thoroughly dispatched by Trump in the 2024 election.
“I know we are all feeling a lot of emotions right now. That’s normal, and it would be weird if we weren’t. I know I’ve gone through about 10 cycles of sadness, rage, and stress – and that was just this morning.”
The model and artist, who has been open about her mental health struggles, emphasized she was focusing on self-care, including spending time with her dog, Jerry. “I’ve struggled with my mental health my whole life, and I’m not ashamed of it,” she wrote, encouraging others to accept their emotional experiences without judgment.
The controversy follows earlier public criticism of Emhoff for her advocacy work, including controversial fundraising for Palestinian aid through UNRWA, a Hamas-controlled organization that lost Biden administration funding in January over their radical Islamic terrorism links.