Doug Emhoff reveals why he feels Donald Trump questioning Kamala Harris' heritage is 'so interesting'

Doug Emhoff also reflected on the appearance of Kamala Harris at the DNC and how life has changed since she launched her presidential campaign
PUBLISHED SEP 6, 2024
Doug Emhoff opened up about his relationship with Kamala Harris after she launched her presidential campaign and revealed what he thinks about Donald Trump calling her Black (Getty Images)
Doug Emhoff opened up about his relationship with Kamala Harris after she launched her presidential campaign and revealed what he thinks about Donald Trump calling her Black (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Second gentleman Doug Emhoff responded to former president Donald Trump’s comments questioning his wife Vice President Kamala Harris’ heritage.

Emhoff also reflected on the appearance of Harris at the Democratic National Convention and how life has changed since she launched her presidential campaign.

What did Doug Emhoff say about Kamala Harris’s heritage?

The exchange occurred during Doug Emhoff's appearance with Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' where the host teased him with the question, “What was your reaction when your wife turned Black?”

Emhoff responded by addressing the broader context, calling it a "distraction" from Trump to sway the electorate. 

DES MOINES, IOWA - AUGUST 10: Douglas Emhoff, husband of Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen.
Douglas Emhoff also reflected on the appearance of Harris at the Democratic National Convention and how life has changed since she launched her presidential campaign (Getty Images)

Trump told the National Association of Black Journalists in July, “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black."

He also asked, “So I don’t know, is she Indian, or is she Black?”

"It’s so interesting — all that stuff, it’s a distraction though,” Emhoff said, “So all the insults, all the things coming at her, coming at me, coming at our family, it’s literally just a distraction from what they’re trying to do," he added, according to The Hill.

How has life changed for Doug Emhoff since Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign?

Doug Emhoff reflected on how life has been different since Kamala Harris launched her campaign after Joe Biden dropped from the race. 

Emhoff mentioned that life has been somewhat of a whirlwind, resulting in less "happy couple" time with his wife.

“Everything has changed, and it is like being shot out of a cannon,” he added.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala H
Emhoff reflected on how life has been different since Harris launched her campaign after Joe Biden dropped from the race (Getty Images)

Emhoff said he doesn't offer any unsolicited advice to her wife nor has he helped her in debate preparations. 

“The last thing I am going to do is give her advice on something she is really awesome at,” Emhoff said.

“If she asks me something I will let her know what I think but we really try to keep that separate," he added.

It is also, "because we really want to be there for each other, our family, our kids, all that stuff," he further said.

Emhoff also joked, “I have never won one [a debate with her].”

Why was Doug Emhoff surprised at Kamala Harris’ DNC appearance?

Jimmy Kimmel also asked Doug Emhoff about Kamala Harris’ surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention. Harris’ early appearance had caught even Emhoff off guard. “When I saw her come out, I was like, ‘Whaaaaaaat?’” he told Kimmel.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - AUGUST 19: Democratic vice presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA
Kimmel also asked Emhoff about Kamala Harris’s surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention which even surprised him (Getty Images)

He admitted that he had been preoccupied with his own upcoming speech at the time.

"“I was really trying to focus on, okay, man, there’s a lot of people here. There’s so much energy, the signs, and I have to get up there somehow,” he said.

In a lighter moment, when Kimmel asked if Emhoff was worried about Harris being immune from prosecution for official acts as a president

Emhoff replied, “Once she gets elected, you know, it gets interesting.”

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