Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter, was not admitted into a mental health crisis center

Ella Emhoff captured national attention during the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election as Vice President Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter. Emhoff, 25, was an outspoken cheerleader for the candidate she calls "Momala."

When Harris lost to President-elect Donald Trump, Emhoff was among those who were visibly disappointed. But unfounded claims spread that she required inpatient care at a mental health crisis center. 

One Threads post showed images of Emhoff crying and what looked like a headline that read, "Ella Emhoff seemingly loses her mind over stepmom Kamala Harris losing the presidency to Trump."

"BREAKING NOW," the post’s caption said. "Ella Emhoff, Kamala’s step-daughter, suffered a mental breakdown yesterday afternoon due to the grief from Kamala’s humiliating loss, and was admitted to an in-patient mental health crisis center in NY." 

The same claim was also being shared in a Spanish Instagram post.

The posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

The headline in the post came from a Nov. 9 New York Post story that strung together pictures of a tearful Emhoff after the election along with posts from her social media accounts and her Substack blog. It did not say that Emhoff had been admitted to a facility for mental health concerns.

Emhoff has talked on her social media about her sadness at the election outcome, but she said that claims about her being admitted to a mental health center are false.

"There's a rumor about me having a mental breakdown and getting checked into a hospital. Not true," Emhoff wrote in an Instagram story alongside a picture of her with her dog, according to Newsweek.

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stated on November 25, 2024 in an Instagram post

AOC posted that Trump’s election victory emboldened a conservative news outlet to call for her resignation because she’s a woman.

Kerstin Emhoff, Ella’s mother, also responded to an X post making the same claim, confirming that it is not true. 

"More MAGA bs against my family. Leave my kids alone!!! Ella is doing great and spending a lovely day with her mom! Having the ability to show your emotions is something we should all hope for. It’s ok to not feel great right now. We aren’t letting anyone break our family down," Kerstin Emhoff wrote Nov. 9.

Ella Emhoff also recently posted Nov. 12 on Instagram with no indication that she is in the hospital.

PolitiFact couldn’t find any credible reports of Ella Emhoff being admitted into a mental hospital in the Nexis news database.

Mental illness is common. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that, in the U.S., 1 in 5 adults live with a mental illness and with conditions that range in severity. Studies show mental health services are beneficial for improving mental health.

In response to the rumors that she had been hospitalized, Emhoff criticized the tone of the claims. She said that although she has "struggled" with mental health concerns throughout her life, "I’m not ashamed of it."

A mental health expert told us rumors like the one involving Emhoff should be treated as such and should be fact-checked first to avoid unnecessary stress for those involved. 

"Famous people are vulnerable to such rumors and are well-acquainted with false stories, but that doesn't make them less offensive or upsetting," said Nancy Mramor, a health psychologist.

She said people should consider the source that is sharing rumors and avoid media outlets with a reputation of publishing misleading information.

The sources saying that Ella Emhoff was admitted into a mental crisis center in New York have no basis in truth, and we rate this claim False.