Research/Study
Trashy, “disgusting,” and “creepy”: How right-wing media weirdly attacked Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter
Written by Emma Mae Weber
Research contributions from Gideon Taaffe
Published
Over the course of the Democratic National Convention, right-wing media personalities targeted Vice President Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter Ella Emhoff, strangely claiming there is something wrong with her hugging her father Doug Emhoff and attacking her appearance.
-
Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, attended the Democratic National Convention, prompting attacks from the right
-
- Ella Emhoff, the stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris and daughter of Doug Emhoff, appeared by her father's side the first night of the Democratic National Convention sporting the viral Harris/Walz camo hat. Emhoff is a fashion designer and model and is known to some as “the “First Daughter of Bushwick” in reference to her fondness for knitting and stick-and-poke tattoos. [The Independent, 8/20/24; Forbes, 8/20/24; Vogue, 1/28/21]
- Harris and Emhoff’s blended family has been the target of attacks from the right, including vice presidential candidate JD Vance, who suggested Harris was a “childless cat lad[y].” Vance equated giving birth with having a “stake in America,” ignoring that Harris is a parent to her stepchildren. [NPR, 7/29/24; Twitter/X, 8/22/24]
-
Right-wing media figures claimed it was “creepy” for Ella Emhoff to hug her dad
-
- Podcast host Benny Johnson called Ella Emhoff and her father “creepy” for having their arms around each other. Johnson tweeted about a short video of Emhoff and her father, “‘Second Gentelman' Doug Emhoff and his daughter.. Creepy.” [Twitter/X, 8/19/24]
- Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk posted a photo of Doug and Ella Emhoff hugging with the caption: “Totally not weird.” [Twitter/X, 8/19/24]
- X (formerly Twitter) account End Wokeness posted a picture of Emhoff and her dad, calling Harris’ family “beyond parody.” Right-wing social media personality Gunther Eagleman responded, “It’s a mental illness,” and Outkick host and Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren responded, “Yikes.” [Twitter/X, 8/19/24, 8/19/24]
-
Right-wing personalities made shallow attacks on Ella Emhoff’s appearance
-
- Tucker Carlson used Ella Emhoff’s appearance to attack Kamala Harris, saying, “Anyone who has a child like that should not have political power, because you've messed up enough.” Carlson began by saying, “I’m trying not to be mean, but I look at Doug Emhoff's daughter — miserable, covered in tattoos — and I’m like, anyone who has a child like that should not have political power, because you've messed up enough.” [SiriusXM, The Megyn Kelly Show, 8/22/24]
- Project Veritas’ Eric Spracklen attacked Emhoff for her tattoos and said they look like “sh*t.” He posted a picture of Emhoff and wrote, “Of course Kamala’s kid would have stupid tattoos all over her arms. They look like sh*t!” [Twitter/X, 8/19/24]
- Project 2025 contributor Richard Hanania called tattoos on women “generally disgusting” after saying Emhoff was “the nightmare scenario for most people with a daughter.” [Twitter/X, 8/20/24; Media Matters, 8/1/24]
- In a post attacking Emhoff’s outfit, prominent right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer claimed: “This family is competing with Biden for the title of trashiest family to occupy the White House.” Loomer said, “This is how Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter (she has no kids of her own) dressed tonight for his father’s wife’s big night. This family is competing with Biden for the title of trashiest family to occupy the White House.” [Twitter/X, 8/20/24]
- Newsmax host Mercedes Schlapp attacked Emhoff’s night two outfit, calling it a “man’s suit" and saying she is “distracting.” Co-host Greg Kelly responded, “Yeah, she’s unique.” Emhoff was wearing a designer suit by Thom Browne. [Newsmax, Democratic National Convention 2024 Special, 8/20/24; Daily Beast, 8/21/24]
- Far-right troll Jack Posobiec reposted a picture of Ella Emhoff that had the caption “No lies what in the world is this.” The post was originally a response to another post from Posobiec remarking that he hadn’t “seen one attractive person” at the DNC after watching “all day.” [Twitter/X, 8/19/24]
- Newsweek Senior Editor Josh Hammer wrote, “Doug Emhoff's daughter is like something out of a horror film.” [Twitter/X, 8/19/24]
- A post on far-right forum TheDonald claimed Emhoff dressed like a 15-year-old. The post included a photo of Emhoff and read: “Kamala’s step-daughter is 25, not 15, and dresses like this for the DNC convention.” The post received hundreds of comments, with many continuing to degrade Emhoff below the original post. [patriots.win, 8/21/24]