President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden have been married for almost 50 years.
Joe had to propose five times before she said yes. They eventually married in 1977.
They have been at each other's sides through celebrations and challenges.
Over the course of their nearly 50-year marriage, former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden have been through a lot together.
They've celebrated triumphant victories such as Joe Biden's two terms as vice president and his 2020 presidential election win. They've also weathered devastating losses such as the death of their son, Beau Biden, and setbacks such as Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 election.
Joe Biden often refers to Jill Biden as "the love of my life and the life of my love." Here's a timeline of their love story.
1975: Joe Biden's brother introduced him to Jill Taylor Jacobs.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in the early days of their relationship.
Office of United States Senator Joe Biden
Joe Biden was a 33-year-old US senator, and Jill Biden, whose maiden name is Jacobs, was a 24-year-old college senior. Both had been married before. Joe Biden's wife and daughter died in a car crash in 1972, leaving him a widower with two sons, and Jill Biden and her husband filed for divorce in her junior year.
"I was a senior, and I had been dating guys in jeans and clogs and T-shirts, he came to the door and he had a sport coat and loafers, and I thought, 'God, this is never going to work, not in a million years,'" Jill Biden told Vogue in 2016. "He was nine years older than I am! But we went out to see 'A Man and a Woman' at the movie theater in Philadelphia, and we really hit it off."
When she got home from the date, Jill Biden told Vogue, she called her mother and said, "Mom, I finally met a gentleman."
1977: The couple married after Joe Biden proposed five times.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a campaign event.
Getty Images
"I said, 'Not yet. Not yet. Not yet,'" Jill Biden told Vogue of Joe Biden's proposals. "Because by that time, of course, I had fallen in love with the boys, and I really felt that this marriage had to work. Because they had lost their mom, and I couldn't have them lose another mother. So I had to be 100 percent sure."
When she did eventually agree to marry him, they held their wedding ceremony at the United Nations chapel and a reception lunch at Sign of the Dove in New York City. They took sons Beau and Hunter on their honeymoon.
1981: The couple welcomed daughter Ashley.
Joe Biden with daughter Ashley Biden.
Bill Ballenberg/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images
In a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Jill Biden said that Ashley Biden's birth made the family "complete."
June 1987: When Joe Biden announced his candidacy for president, Jill Biden was by his side.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at an event announcing his presidential run.
Cynthia Johnson/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images
He announced his presidential run in Wilmington, Delaware.
September 1987: They presented a united front when he withdrew from the race.
Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race.
Arnie Sachs/CNP/Getty Images
His short-lived campaign had been enveloped in scandal, with allegations of plagiarizing his speeches and exaggerating his academic records from college and law school, The New York Times reported.
"'I made some mistakes,'' he said as he announced the end of his campaign.
The New York Times described Jill Biden's face as "a study in dejection." Jill Biden later wrote about controlling her emotions in her 2019 memoir, "Where The Light Enters."
"As a political spouse, I've found that my stoicism often serves me well," she wrote. "In 1988, when Joe's first presidential campaign started to look bleak, people were constantly looking for cracks in our team. We all felt scrutinized, but I refused to show weakness."
1988: Joe Biden had two brain aneurysms. The couple posed outside the hospital when he was discharged after the first of two operations.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after he was discharged.
Pam Price/AP
Joe Biden had a pulmonary embolism later that year as he recovered. In her book, Jill Biden writes about watching as "EMTs carried him down the steps of our house on a stretcher."
January 2007: Jill Biden earned her Ph.D. in education from the University of Delaware. At the graduation, Joe Biden handed Jill Biden her doctorate.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden on the campaign trail.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
She became Dr. Jill Biden.
July 2007: Joe Biden wrote about his love for Jill Biden in his memoir, "Promises to Keep."
Joe Biden released "Promises to Keep" in 2007.
Charles Dharapak/AP
"She gave me back my life," he wrote. "She made me start to think my family might be whole again."
2008: Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate, and the two families developed a close bond.
The Obamas and Bidens at a rally in Illinois.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
The "bromance" between the two politicians went viral.
2009: Jill Biden held the family's Bible when her husband was sworn in as vice president.
Joe Biden was sworn in as vice president in 2009.
Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images
Joe Biden supported her career, too. She made history as the first known second lady to hold a full-time job, teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College.
"As second lady, she was teaching full time for eight years, 15 credits a semester," Joe Biden said in a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
February 2010: On Valentine's Day, Joe Biden surprised her with a tree swing marked with a commemorative plaque on the grounds of the vice president's residence.
The plaque on a tree on the grounds of the vice president's residence.
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The plaque reads "Joe loves Jill. Valentine's Day 2010."
March 2010: They took diplomatic trips together, such as their visit to Israel.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden arrive in Israel.
BAZ RATNER/AFP via Getty Images
They took other trips together, such as attending the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
September 2012: Jill Biden elicited giggles when she told a crowd in New Hampshire, "I've seen Joe up close."
Jill Biden introduced Joe Biden at a campaign event in 2012.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
An ABC News camera panned to Joe Biden, who could be seen laughing good-naturedly at the unintended double entendre as the audience cheered.
"It's in my remarks, really," she said, before continuing with her speech amid chuckles from the crowd.
September 2012: At the Democratic National Convention, Jill Biden spoke about Joe Biden's support for her career and his strength in the face of loss.
Joe Biden embraces Jill Biden at the Democratic National Convention.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
"After Joe was elected vice president, people started questioning whether I could keep teaching," she said. "Not Joe. He was there standing by my side saying 'Of course you should. It's who you are, Jill.'"
2013: When Obama won a second term, Jill Biden held the Bible again when Joe Biden was sworn in at the inauguration.
Jill Biden held the Bible during Joe Biden's 2013 inauguration as vice president.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
As they had in 2009, they danced together at more inaugural balls.
2015: Tragedy struck when their son Beau Biden died of brain cancer.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at their son Beau Biden's funeral.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Reuters
Still reeling from the loss, Joe Biden decided not to run for president in 2016.
2019: Jill Biden released her own book, "Where The Light Enters," in which she wrote about falling in love with Joe Biden.
Jill Biden's book.
Johnny Louis/Getty Images
"After the disappointment of my divorce, I never wanted to feel so out of control of my heart again," she wrote. "But in the months that Joe and I were dating, that desire ran up against a new reality: I was falling in love."
April 2019: When Joe Biden entered the 2020 presidential race, Jill Biden became an important voice in his campaign.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a campaign event in Philadelphia.
Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images
For the first time since 1981, she took a break from teaching to help him on the campaign trail.
December 2019: In an unusual campaign stop moment, Joe Biden nibbled on his wife's finger as she spoke to a crowd in Iowa.
Joe Biden bit Jill Biden's finger as she spoke at a campaign event.
Joshua Lott/Getty Images
Jill Biden was gesturing behind herself as she spoke, barely missing Joe Biden's face as he pretended to dodge. Joe Biden then leaned forward while her arm was outstretched and bit down on the tip of her index finger. She appeared to laugh it off.
Jill Biden later reposted a video on X of the hosts of "The View" discussing the moment, where Meghan McCain said, "I thought it was silly, and they clearly still love each other and are playful," and replied, "Guilty, we do still love each other!"
March 2020: Jill Biden fought off protesters, leading Joe Biden to joke, "I'm probably the only candidate running for president whose wife is my Secret Service."
Jill Biden fought off protestors that rushed the stage during a Super Tuesday election night party.
Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
"Whoa, you don't screw around with a Philly girl, I'll tell you what," he said after the protesters were removed from the stage on Super Tuesday. "I thought I heard on the news on the way over that the committee in charge of Secret Service decided they have to start providing Secret Service for us. I think that's because they're afraid Jill's going to hurt someone. I tell you what man, I married way above my station."
August 2020: Jill Biden delivered a keynote speech at the DNC from the school classroom in Delaware where she used to teach English.
A screenshot from the livestream of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Handout/DNCC via Getty Images
"Love makes us flexible and resilient," she said in the speech. "It allows us to become more than ourselves, together, and though it can't protect us from the sorrows of life, it gives us refuge, a home. How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole: with love and understanding and with small acts of kindness."
November 2020: Joe Biden won the presidential election, and called himself "Jill's husband" in his victory speech.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden waved to the crowds after his victory speech.
ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
"Jill's a mom — a military mom — and an educator," he said. "She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does — it's who she is. For America's educators, this is a great day: You're going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great first lady."
December 2020: After a Wall Street Journal op-ed urged her to drop her "Dr." title since she's not a medical doctor, Jill Biden remained proud of her doctorate, and Joe Biden backed her up.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in an interview with Stephen Colbert.
"That was such a surprise," Jill Biden said of the op-ed. "It was really the tone of it. He called me 'kiddo,' and one of the things I'm most proud of is my doctorate. I mean, I've worked so hard for it. And Joe came when I defended my thesis."
"I got to hand her her doctorate on the stage at the University of Delaware," Joe Biden added.
Colbert jokingly asked if Joe Biden ever wanted to "get out a length of pool chain and go full corn pop" on people who criticize Jill Biden's academic achievements. As he began to answer, she interjected with "No! The answer is no!" Joe Biden then quipped, "I've been suppressing my Irishness for a long time."
January 2020: Jill Biden held the Biden family Bible for Joe Biden's inauguration as president of the United States.
Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS
The Biden family Bible dates back to 1893. He has used it for his swearing-in ceremonies as a US senator and as vice president.
April 2021: Joe Biden stopped to pick a dandelion for Jill Biden on the White House lawn as they boarded Marine One.
Joe Biden handed Jill Biden a flower on the White House Ellipse.
Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The then-president and first lady were traveling to Atlanta for a rally in Plains, Georgia, to meet with former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter.
As they were boarding Marine One on the White House Ellipse, Joe Biden bent down and picked a dandelion for his wife. Jill Biden stopped to accept the flower, and she held on to it as she boarded the helicopter.
December 2021: They welcomed a new German shepherd puppy, Commander.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden pet Commander.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The Bidens entered the White House with two German shepherds, Champ and Major. Champ passed away at the age of 13 in June 2021, and Major was rehomed due to behavioral issues.
The Bidens also adopted a cat, Willow, in January 2022.
Commander was moved out of the White House in October 2023 after numerous biting incidents.
February 2022: Jill Biden was spotted wearing a corsage from Joe Biden in a sweet Valentine's Day tradition.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden on Valentine's Day.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
While exiting Marine One on Valentine's Day, the then-first lady was photographed wearing a corsage of what appeared to be white gardenias, her favorite flower.
In an interview with People magazine shortly after Joe Biden took office, Jill Biden shared that the corsages began as a Valentine's Day tradition, and that he had surprised her with a corsage of gardenias at the inauguration.
"I don't know when it started — a long, long time ago. I think it was for Valentine's Day," she said. "I love gardenias and so Joe would buy me a wrist corsage of gardenias. I wore it to school to teach!"
Joe Biden also shared a Valentine's Day message for his wife.
"You're the love of my life and the life of my love, Jilly. Happy Valentine's Day," he wrote on X.
May 2022: Jill Biden told Harper's Bazaar she and Joe Biden fight over text, or "fext," to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a White House reception.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Jill Biden, who appeared on the June-July cover of Harper's Bazaar, told the magazine that she and Joe Biden fight via text in what they call "fexting" to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail — a method they've used since he served as vice president.
In one particularly heated exchange, Joe Biden reminded her that presidential communications like texts and emails are kept as part of a historical record of each presidency.
"Joe said, 'You realize that's going to go down in history. There will be a record of that,'" she told Harper's Bazaar. "I won't tell you what I called him that time."
While they did occasionally "fext," Jill Biden also spoke about supporting her husband's work during his presidency.
"I try to be a support for Joe because I don't know how many people are saying to him, 'That was great. That was brilliant.' I try to be that person for him," she said. "Some days, I see Joe and I'm just like, 'I don't know how you're doing it.' It's the pandemic and then it's the war and then it's the economy and then it's the gas prices. You feel like you're being slammed."
June 2022: They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden rode bikes in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The Bidens celebrated their anniversary at their beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. During their trip, Joe Biden fell off his bike but quickly got back up and chatted with reporters. A White House spokesperson said that the president did not require medical attention.
April 2023: Joe Biden announced he would run for reelection in 2024.
South Carolina Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a former state party chairman and Biden 2020 finance committee member, told Business Insider in 2022 that "Joe Biden wouldn't have run in '20 if Jill Biden had not wanted him to run and he won't run in '24 if Jill Biden doesn't want him to run."
June 2024: Jill Biden defended Joe Biden after his disastrous presidential debate against Donald Trump.
Jill Biden spoke after Joe Biden's first 2024 debate against Donald Trump.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
During the first presidential debate of 2024, Joe Biden spoke with a hoarse voice, offered convoluted answers, and appeared disoriented at times. His poor performance sparked panic among Democrats about whether he should stay in the race.
Jill Biden defended Joe Biden in the face of widespread criticism, telling Vogue that the Biden family "will not let those 90 minutes define the four years he's been president. We will continue to fight."
"When he gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and that's what we're doing today," Jill Biden said at a New York City fundraiser the day after the debate.
Joe Biden also acknowledged that his age impacted his debate performance, but remained firm in his commitment to stay in the race.
"I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious," he said during a rally the day after the debate. "I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done."
July 2024: Jill Biden expressed support for Joe Biden after he withdrew from the 2024 election.
"While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden wrote in a letter posted on social media.
On July 24, Jill Biden posted her first public statement since her husband's announcement.
"To those who never wavered, to those who refused to doubt, to those who always believed, my heart is full of gratitude," Jill Biden wrote in a statement on X. "Thank you for the trust you put in Joe — now it's time to put that trust in Kamala."
August 2024: Jill Biden and Joe Biden spoke about each other in their speeches at the Democratic National Convention.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The first night of the Democratic National Convention was dedicated to recognizing Joe Biden's legacy throughout his decades of public service.
"Joe and I have been together for almost 50 years, and still there are moments when I fall in love with him all over again," Jill said in her speech.
In his convention speech, Joe Biden said that his wife "still leaves me both breathless and speechless."
January 2025: They attended Trump's second inauguration together.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden greeted Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
The Bidens greeted Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House before heading to the inauguration, which was held in the Capitol Rotunda due to frigid temperatures.
May 2025: Joe Biden's office announced he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden posed for a selfie with their cat, Willow.
Joe Biden via X/Handout via REUTERS
The cancer has metastasized to the former president's bones, Joe Biden's office said in a statement released on Sunday.
"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management," the statement read. "The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians."
On Monday, Joe Biden posted a selfie on X of himself with Jill Biden and their cat, Willow, and thanked well-wishers for their support following his diagnosis.
"Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places," he wrote. "Thank you for lifting us up with love and support."
The fan-favorite couple are core cast members of the hit reality show, which follows the lives of Taylor and seven other influencers, known collectively as the Mormon MomTokers.
The show, which gives a glimpse into their unique lives, was the most-watched premiere of any unscripted show on Hulu in 2024, The Wrap reported.
After the first season ended, the drama spilled online as the cast argued and rumors spread that Taylor and Dakota had split.
In the first episode of season two, which aired on Hulu on Thursday, Dakota and Taylor take a break from their relationship and permanently separate in episode nine.
Here's what to know about their relationship.
May 2022: Taylor says that she and her ex-husband are divorcing.
Taylor announced in a May 2022 TikTok that she and her husband at the time, Tate Paul, were divorcing.
"In my twenties, getting divorced, started therapy, living on my own for the first time ever along with two little kids," she wrote in the text overlay of the video.
Shortly after, Taylor said in an Instagram live video that she and Tate had been "soft swinging" with friends. The incident sparked a viral scandal and eventually led to the creation of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."
July 2022: Taylor and Dakota go public with their relationship
In a November 2022 TikTok, Taylor revealed that she had been pregnant with Dakota's child, but was told it was ectopic. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus, and the fetus isn't able to survive.
After the diagnosis, Taylor said in the video that she "was treated" and was no longer pregnant.
February 2023: Taylor is arrested over domestic violence
Taylor Frankie Paul was arrested while filming the first episode of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."
Disney / Pamela Littky
Taylor was arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident on February 17, 2023, the Herriman City Police Department said.
The series premiere of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" shows footage from the incident involving Taylor and Dakota, and her arrest.
A police officer from the department said in a written testimony included in court documents that the video shows Taylor throwing metal stools at Dakota, one of which hits her daughter, Indy, and stikes Dakota, E! News reported.
Taylor said on the Viall Files podcast in September 2024 that while the police report says that one of the chairs hit her daughter, "it might have not hit her at all." Police said that a detective was informed the child had a "goose-egg" injury on her head, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Dakota told the Daily Mail on February 23, 2023, that Taylor would never "hurt anyone intentionally."
"She's a good mom, she's going through a lot in her life right now. Taylor's been struggling, it's been a hard year for her. She is racked with guilt on her cheating scandal that cost her her marriage," he said.
In March of that year, Taylor was charged with two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, one felony count of aggravated assault, and one misdemeanor count of child abuse and criminal mischief.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported in August 2023 that Taylor entered a plea in abeyance to the aggravated assault felony charge, while the other charges were dismissed.
Under the terms of her plea agreement, Taylor was given a three-year probation.
June 2023: Taylor confirms that she and Dakota are still together
Taylor posted a TikTok in June 2023, confirming that she and Dakota were still dating.
Sometime that summer, Taylor became pregnant with her and Dakota's first child.
March 2024: Taylor gives birth to her and Dakota's son
Taylor announced in April 2024 that she and Dakota had welcomed a son together.
"Ever True was born March 19th, 6lbs 15oz a week early and we've had the best two weeks with him. We all love you so much, thank you for blending our family," she wrote in the post's caption.
"Dakota, he was such a good partner in the process and very supportive," Taylor said in a "Mormon Wives" confessional about her birth. "I'm like, on cloud nine, and this is like the first time I've been so confident in us, in a future. I just — I hope that I can trust him."
September 2024: Taylor and Dakota share their relationship problems on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'
The cast of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."
Disney/Ashley Rose Ramirez
The first season of the show, which premiered in September 2024 but was filmed from 2022 to 2024, focuses heavily on Taylor and Dakota's relationship, particularly in the late stages of her pregnancy.
That season, Dakota wants to get married, but Taylor is reluctant, citing a lack of trust. He is also unhappy that Taylor goes to a Chippendales show in Las Vegas.
The other source of conflict for the couple is fellow Mormon Momtoker Mayci Neeley, who is skeptical of Dakota in season one. She says an anonymous woman on Instagram told her she was with Dakota while he and Taylor were dating, but didn't know about the relationship.
In the season one finale, Taylor meets the woman, named Jenna, to learn the truth.
September 4, 2024: Taylor says she's upset with Dakota for hooking up with Jenna behind her back
On September 4, 2024, Taylor appeared on "The Viall Files" and said she was insecure about her relationship with Dakota because he had canceled plans with her to hook up with Jenna.
"It's not about Jenna. It's not. It's about me feeling insecure," she said.
Taylor said Dakota apologized, but she "cannot let it go" and was getting therapy to work through her insecurity.
"He's a good man, and I do want to marry him. That's the goal, but I feel like I just need some self-work before," Taylor said.
September — February 2024: Rumors spread that Dakota and Taylor have split
Some fans began to speculate that the couple had broken up a little over two weeks after the show premiered on Hulu.
"Not me slowly morphing into 2022 me," Taylor wrote in the on-screen caption of a TikTok video posted on September 21, 2024, that showed her dancing and appearing to cry.
Other "Mormon Wives" cast members provided their support in the comments.
Dakota commented beneath a TikTok video that said the couple had split with: "Stay tuned…"
Taylor told Us Weekly in an interview held before the breakup rumors and published on September 23, 2024, that she and Dakota were working on their relationship. Taylor added that Dakota wasn't happy with how the show presented him.
"We are not fully together, but not fully done. I don't know what the future holds with him and I," Taylor said.
In October and November 2024, Taylor and Dakota shared videos of each other, implying they had made amends. But by December 2024, they went back to posting cryptic videos alluding to a split, including Dakota sharing a video about moving to a new house alone.
May 2025: Season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" shows the pair have separated
Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul go to a couples therapy session in season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," amid their temporary breakup.
Disney+
In February, Taylor began posting that she was a single mom, seemingly confirming that she and Dakota had broken up.
Season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," which seemed to have been filmed between October 2024 and January 2025, delves into the breakup. In the first episode, Taylor says she was considering marrying Dakota until she found out about the cheating rumors from Mayci.
Later that episode, Taylor meets with Jenna and sees texts that suggest Dakota lied about when he hung out with her and how far they took their relationship. Jenna says Dakota also downplayed his relationship with Taylor, which he said he used to boost his social media presence.
After learning this, Taylor says she wants to separate from Dakota temporarily, and he moves out.
In later episodes, they try couples therapy and talk with family and friends. Taylor struggles to move past the hurt, and says it brought up past trauma related to her biological father not wanting a relationship with her.
The couple continues to have sex until episode seven, when Dakota gives Taylor an ultimatum to commit to their relationship or split. By episode nine, Taylor decides to break up for the sake of her children.
"I do feel peace in that decision," Taylor says. "I do not see me ever getting back with Dakota."
It appears they are still over, as Taylor posted a TikTok on Monday stating that she will be the first ex of Dakota who won't try to get back with him.
Robert De Niro criticized Donald Trump's tariffs at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.
The actor called Trump a "philistine president" while accepting a lifetime achievment Palme d'Or award.
Here's a timeline of their 14-year feud.
Robert De Niro told the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday that America is fighting for "the democracy we once took for granted," in his latest swipe at Donald Trump amid a 14-year feud.
Since 2011, De Niro has criticized Trump's politics and behavior in interviews, award speeches, and political campaign videos.
Here's a timeline of De Niro and Trump's feud.
April 2011: De Niro criticizes Trump for commenting on former president Barack Obama's citizenship.
Former president Barack Obama faced unfounded speculation over his citizenship.
Reuters
Trump and De Niro first exchanged verbal blows in April 2011 after Trump questioned the citizenship status of then-president, Barack Obama.
Trump was one of many celebrity and political figures who began demanding to see Obama's birth certificate at the time because they wrongly believed he was born in the US.
During an interview with NBC News' Brian Williams at the Tribeca Film Festival, De Niro criticized those who made this claim.
"A lot of these guys, they're intentions are not even good. They're just playing the game. And they're playing with people's lives," De Niro said in 2011 (per The Hollywood Reporter). "It's crazy. They're making statements about people that they don't even back up. Go get the facts before you start saying things about people."
De Niro confirmed later in the interview that Trump was among the people he was referring to.
Trump hit back a few days on "Fox & Friends," where he said De Niro was "not the brightest bulb on the planet."
"I have been watching over the years, and I like his acting, but in terms of when I watch him doing interviews and various other things, we are not dealing with Albert Einstein," Trump added before doubling down on his demand for Obama to show his birth certificate.
August 2016: De Niro calls Trump "nuts."
Robert De Niro and Donald Trump.
Eric Charbonneau / Getty Images for Apple TV+ / KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI
De Niro and Trump's beef cooled off until Trump became the Republican Party's candidate for the 2016 presidential election.
While speaking at an event for the 40th anniversary of "Taxi Driver" in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in August 2016, De Niro brought up Trump's campaign and said the businessman was "totally nuts."
"It's crazy that people like Donald Trump, he shouldn't even be where he is, so God help us," De Niro said. "What he's been saying is really totally crazy, ridiculous stuff."
Fall 2016: De Niro joins the Democrats' campaign and says he wants to "punch" Trump.
Robert De Niro has repeatedly criticized Donald Trump.
REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
De Niro was one of the many celebrities who supported Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency in the run-up to the 2016 election.
In October of that year, De Niro participated in a video for the #VoteYourFuture campaign to get young people involved but spent most of the video slinging insults at Trump.
"I mean he's so blatantly stupid. He's a punk, he's a dog, he's a pig, he's a con, a bullshit artist, a mutt who doesn't know what he's talking about, doesn't do his homework, doesn't care, thinks he's gaming society, doesn't pay his taxes. He's an idiot," he said.
De Niro added: "He talks about how he wants to punch people in the face. Well, I'd like to punch him in the face."
De Niro later told "The View" that the "punch" threat was symbolic and he didn't actually want to hit Trump.
"I said that because he said that about somebody that he would like to punch them in the face. How dare he say that to the crowd?" De Niro said of Trump.
In the following weeks, De Niro argued publicly with actors Jon Voight and Arnold Schwarzenegger over their support for Trump and spoke out against Trump during a speech at the Hollywood Film Awards.
When Trump was elected in November 2016, De Niro told The Hollywood Reporter that he felt "like I did after 9/11."
De Niro also told "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that he won't punch the president.
"I can't do that now; he's the president. I have to respect the position, though we all know what…," he said, trailing off as a joke. "We have to see what he's gonna do, and how he's really gonna follow through on certain things."
Their feud then cooled off for the remainder of 2016.
2017: De Niro criticizes Trump in speeches and interviews.
Robert De Niro.
Kristina Bumphrey/Getty
In 2017, De Niro took almost every opportunity to fire more shots at Trump.
In January 2017, De Niro appeared in a "United We Stand" rally against Trump, where he joked about the president's social media rants and criticized his stance on immigration.
"He's a bad example of this country," De Niro said of Trump. "We're all rooting for the new administration, of course, to abandon the divisive, racist, misogynist, ignorant plans it's trumpeting and lead us with intelligence and compassion."
In the same month, he told "Today" that calls to boycott Trump's presidential inauguration were justified.
"I think that whatever people do, they should do it fully because there's a lot of crazy stuff happening now," De Niro said.
In May 2017, De Niro used a speech at Brown University as he accepted an honorary doctorate of fine arts to mock Trump.
"When you started school, the country was an inspiring, uplifting drama. You are graduating into a tragic, dumbass comedy," he said.
During another speech at the Annual Hudson River Park Gala, De Niro called Trump a "motherfucker," New York Daily News reported.
2018: Trump finally responds to De Niro after further insults.
Former President Donald Trump.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
In March 2018, De Niro called Trump an "idiot" in a speech for an event to celebrate the Fulfillment Fund for promoting higher education.
"He lacks any sense of humanity or compassion," De Niro said per Variety. "Now I'm not trying to turn this non-political event into a political one, but as long as our country's leadership is so appalling and so corrupt, I'll be speaking out at every venue."
He added: "To be silent in the face of such villainy is to be complicit, and it's especially appropriate tonight because Trump treats education as a con, a way to make a profit at the expense of the suckers."
Continuing the sentiment about speaking up against Trump, in June 2018, De Niro said "fuck Trump" while hosting the Tony Awards, and received a standing ovation.
This comment finally garnered a response from Trump.
"Robert De Niro, a very Low IQ individual, has received too many shots to the head by real boxers in movies. I watched him last night and truly believe he may be 'punch-drunk,'" Trump wrote on X two days after the Tony's.
Robert De Niro, a very Low IQ individual, has received too many shots to the head by real boxers in movies. I watched him last night and truly believe he may be “punch-drunk.” I guess he doesn’t...
"I guess he doesn't realize the economy is the best it's ever been with employment being at an all time high, and many companies pouring back into our country. Wake up Punchy!" he continued.
De Niro was also one of several Trump critics who were mailed bombs in October 2018, though police never linked these incidents to the former US president.
De Niro was unfazed and instead responded by encouraging people to vote in the midterm elections.
"There's something more powerful than bombs and that's your vote. People MUST vote!" De Niro told Sky News. "I thank God no one's been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us."
In 2018, "Saturday Night Live" began featuring regular sketches mocking Trump, with Alec Baldwin portraying the president. De Niro joined these sketches in April, making frequent cameo appearances as Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing an investigation into Trump's election campaign and Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US elections.
2019: De Niro says Trump's "impeachment and imprisonment" would make America great again.
De Niro has repeatedly criticized Trump.
REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
In March 2019, Mueller released a report on his investigation into the US 2016 election. The report found that Russian agents "interfered in the presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion" but said there was not enough evidence to accuse Trump's team of being involved.
However, the evidence within the report kickstarted a campaign to impeach Trump.
De Niro also joined calls for Trump's impeachment. During a speech at the American Icons Awards in late March, De Niro said Trump's "impeachment and imprisonment" would make America great again.
In May, De Niro wrote an open letter to Mueller in The New York Times to encourage him to testify against Trump in Congress.
In October, De Niro also told The Guardian at the London Film Festival that he wanted to see Trump jailed after his impeachment inquiry.
"Oh, I can't wait to see him in jail. I don't want him to die, I want him to go to jail," De Niro said.
Trump was impeached in 2019, but for a different investigation, and the president was later acquitted by the Senate.
2020: De Niro criticizes Trump's response to the COVID pandemic.
Robert De Niro outside of Manhattan Federal Court
David Dee Delgado
During Trump's last year in office, the world was hit by the COVID pandemic.
In May 2020, De Niro criticized Trump's response to the pandemic on BBC Newsnight, saying that the president did not care how many people had died.
"It's Shakespearean, the whole thing, you've got a lunatic saying things that people are trying to dance around," De Niro said. "They're doing it in the hearings a little more, trying to say tactfully that this is what will happen, Fauci is doing that."
“It’s like Shakespearean the whole thing” – actor Robert de Niro on how the coronavirus outbreak is being handled in the US#Newsnightpic.twitter.com/k64t3Mhcl9
De Niro added, referring to Trump: "It's appalling. He wants to be re-elected. He doesn't even care how many people die."
Trump being voted out of office in November 2020 didn't mean De Niro was done criticizing him.
De Niro told MSNBC in November, after the 2020 election, that he though there would be another "Trump-like" candidate who would be smart enough to trick the public.
"It's the same playbook as Mussolini, as Hitler, as wannabe dictators," De Niro said. "It's all appealing to the worst prejudices, the worst weaknesses of the public and instead of leading them and guiding them and being someone that they can look up to."
2023: De Niro reignites the feud during the press "Killers of a Flower Moon" press tour.
Robert De Niro criticized Trump over his handling of COVID.
David Dee Delgado
Ahead of the 2024 election, Variety reported that De Niro compared Trump to the "evil" men in "Killers of a Flower Moon" during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival for the film.
"There are people who still think he can do a good job. Imagine how insane that is," De Niro said, referring to Trump.
In October, De Niro missed the Stop Trump Summit in New York City after contracting COVID but said in a video statement: "When I look at him, I don't see a bad man. Truly. I see an evil one.
"The man who was supposed to protect this country put it in peril, because of his recklessness and impulsiveness. It was like an abusive father ruling the family by fear and violent behavior."
At the Gotham Film Awards, he brought up Trump again but stalled during his speech and accused Apple, the producer of the movie, of editing what he wanted to say.
"I just want to say one thing. The beginning of my speech was edited, cut out. I didn't know about it. And I want to read it," De Niro said before bringing out his phone to read the original speech.
"The former president lied to us more than 30,000 times during his four years … in office, and he's keeping up the pace in his current campaign of retribution," De Niro said, referring to Trump. "But with all his lies, he can't hide his soul."
De Niro told Rolling Stone that he found out after the event that Apple had tried to ask him to tone down the speech, but he had missed the memo.
Trump fired back at De Niro's comments in a post on Truth Social.
"Robert De Niro, whose acting talents have greatly diminished, with his reputation now shot, must even use a teleprompter for his foul and disgusting language, so disrespectful to our Country," Trump wrote.
"De Niro should focus on his life, which is a mess, rather than the lives of others. He has become a total loser, as the World watches, waits, and laughs!" he added.
March 2024: De Niro fires back at Trump's social media posts.
Donald Trump was re-elected in 2024.
Getty Images
On "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in March, Kimmel asked De Niro about Trump's social media posts about him.
"He's so fucking stupid," De Niro responded. "Look at the lame, inane things that he said. He's so stupid he can't even say anything clever. He's a fucking moron."
"He is a malignant narcissist. He's a socio-psychopath," he added. "It's so frightening and scary, and he's dangerous. We got to get rid of him."
May 28 2024: De Niro appears in another Democrat campaign video and news conference.
Robert De Niro outside Manhattan Criminal Court on May 28, 2024.
"Now, he's running again, this time threatening to be a 'dictator,' to terminate the constitution," De Niro said. "Trump wants revenge, and he'll stop at nothing to get it."
On May 28, De Niro appeared at a news conference for Biden's presidential campaign outside Trump's hush money trial. At the conference, he said he had joined Biden's campaign.
"When Trump ran in 2016, it was like a joke. 'This buffoon running for president? No, never could happen,'" De Niro said. "We'd forgotten the lessons of history that showed us other clowns who weren't taken seriously until they became vicious dictators."
De Niro said the new Biden-Harris ad was created to show how Trump uses "violence" against people who stand in his way.
"But it's a coward's violence," he added.
In another interview with the press outside the courthouse, De Niro said: "He's a monster. He cannot be president of the United States again. Never ever."
"I never knew how small, both mentally and physically, Wacko Former Actor Robert De Niro was," Trump wrote on Wednesday. "Today, De Niro, who suffers from an incurable case of TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, commonly known in the medical community as TDS, was met, outside the Courthouse, with a force far greater than the Radical Left - MAGA."
He added that De Niro looked "so pathetic and sad" and the actor's brand has "gone WAY DOWN IN VALUE" since he started supporting Biden.
May 30, 2024: De Niro supports New York jury's decision to convict Trump.
Donald Trump speaks outside the Manhattan Criminal Court after his conviction.
Pool / Getty Images
On May 30, Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, after he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
Trump maintains his innocence.
"It's as it should be. Justice has been served. That's it," De Niro told PageSix, adding that the public must stop Trump from being elected in November.
De Niro told Variety at the time: "This never should have gotten to this stage. I don't want to be talking, but I am so upset by it. I have to say something. This is my country. This guy wants to destroy it. Period. He's crazy.
"People are fed up, they're going to fight back. That's not what we're about in this country."
May 13, 2025: De Niro calls Trump a 'philistine president' at the Cannes Film Festival.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro onstage at the Cannes Film Festival.
Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP
De Niro appeared at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to accept a Palme d'Or lifetime achievement award.
He used his acceptance speech to criticize Trump, and said: "Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That's why art is a threat."
Referring to Trump becoming head of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in February, De Niro continued: "That's why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists. America's philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities, and education."
The actor also criticized Trump's recent move to put tariffs on movies made outside the US.
He added: "You can't put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it. Of course, this is unacceptable. All of these attacks are unacceptable. And this isn't just an American problem, it's a global one.
"Like a film, we can't just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now."
Trump's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kevin Mazur/MG25/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna have been close friends and collaborators for over a decade.
Rocky confirmed their relationship in May 2021, calling Rihanna "the one."
The musicians are expecting their third child to join sons RZA and Riot.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky became partners nearly a decade after they teamed up for the first time.
Throughout their friendship and blossoming romance, Rihanna kept busy with chart-topping songs like "Work" and "We Found Love" — as well as billion-dollar companies like Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty — while Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, also built a formidable reputation in the music industry with hits like "F**kin' Problems" and "Sundress."
The two artists have always been supportive of each other's careers, whether starring together in music videos or partnering up for skincare campaigns. They finally confirmed their rumored romance in 2021 and welcomed their first child the following year.
Here's a complete timeline of Rihanna and Rocky's relationship so far.
Ashley Simone Johnson contributed reporting to this article.
September 6, 2012: They perform together at the MTV Video Music Awards
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna perform at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.
Lester Cohen/WireImage
Rihanna and Rocky first paired up when she tapped him to feature on the remix of her song, "Cockiness (Love It)," which was released online on September 7, 2012.
The day before, they performed their remix together at the VMAs, where Rocky grabbed Rihanna's butt and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"He grabbed my ass on stage. That was not part of the rehearsal!" she revealed. "I was like, 'What are you doing!?'"
She also said her team was shocked when she didn't get upset: "My manager was like, 'Oh, God, she must like this guy a little bit. She never lets this shit slide.'"
March 2013: Rocky joins Rihanna on tour
Rihanna recruited the "Goldie" rapper to be her opening act on the Diamonds World Tour.
The tour included 28 stops and ended on May 5, 2013.
April 10, 2013: Rocky denies dating rumors
Rocky clarified his relationship status while on set for A$AP Ferg's "Work" remix video.
"Yeah, I expected people to say that me and Rihanna were sleeping around. We're just cool," he told MTV. "Man, dudes be tryin' to front like they tappin' Rihanna's [anatomy] and all that, but they don't be hittin' it."
"I aint hittin' it either. I'm just cool with her. I don't even look at her like that. She's sexy, but I'm good," he continued.
"That's really a friend. She supports me, man. She's bringing me out, she ain't have to do that. That girl came to my Coachella a year ago. I got nothing but love for Rih Rih; that's the homey right there. I ain't tryin' to get in no trouble with no Rihanna rumors."
September 2013: Rihanna stars in Rocky's 'Fashion Killa' music video
Rihanna starred as Rocky's love interest in his video for "Fashion Killa," a single from his debut studio album, "Long. Live. A$AP."
In an interview with 106 & Park, the rapper was asked why he chose Rihanna to be in his video, to which he replied, "She's a fashion killa in my eyes. I respect her jigginess. I respect her fashion sense."
He added: "The chemistry was just organic. We were cool, we were chilling, it was whatever. We were faded. We were having fun."
While filming the music video, they took to Instagram to post "couple-y" behind-the-scenes photos, according to Teen Vogue.
At this time, however, Rocky was reportedly dating Chanel Iman.
May 27, 2015: Rocky discusses his breakup with Iman and his relationship with Rihanna
"I was so in love. To this day, it's all good. I think for me, we're young and it was something that was so real that it was so serious," he explained. "I would say perfect girl, wrong time. I'm not OK with losing her, but that's the way of the world. It's not meant to work right now."
When asked about a potential romance with Rihanna, he replied, "It never happened. If it happened, then it would have happened. We didn't do that."
"You never know," Rocky continued. "That's not what I'm looking forward to. I'm looking forward to the friendship that I already have with all these females because life is so complicated."
June 2018: The duo are photographed looking cozy during Paris Fashion Week
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attend the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 show.
Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
The pair sat side-by-side in the front row at a Louis Vuitton show. They were photographed smiling and getting close, Rocky's arm draped around Rihanna.
At the time, Rihanna was apparently dating Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel, while Rocky had recently been linked to Kendall Jenner.
September 2018: Rocky attends Rihanna's Diamond Ball
The rapper attended the annual event in New York City to support Rihanna's foundation, which helps raise funds to improve healthcare and education programs worldwide.
January 2019: Rocky opens up about his love life
During an interview on The Angie Martinez Show, Rocky confirmed he was in a new relationship with a "regular" girl.
"I prefer long-term friendships and relationships and acquaintances as opposed to one-night stands or just going out with somebody, then having them be your ex and hating them," he said. "That's why, for me, if I get involved with a female, nine times out of 10, she's going to be in my life from that point moving forward."
At the time, Rocky was rumored to be dating Top Shop model Jasmine Daniels. Eight months later, however, he stepped out with Brazilian model Daiane Sodré.
"These are things people stay away from, they don't like to admit. I can't be embarrassed about it. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I won't do nothing that I'm not proud speaking of," he told Martinez during an episode of "Untold Stories of Hip Hop."
When Martinez asked if he's "capable of a monogamous relationship," Rocky replied, "Yes, of course."
September 2019: Rocky attends the Diamond Ball again
A$AP Rocky attends Rihanna's fifth annual Diamond Ball in 2019.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Diamond Ball
The "Babushka Boi" rapper came out to support his friend's charity event for the second year in a row.
December 2, 2019: Rocky and Rihanna pose for red carpet photos at the British Fashion Awards
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna arrive at the British Fashion Awards in 2019.
Tim Whitby/BFC via Getty
The superstars were by each other's sides for yet another event, the British Fashion Awards, where Rihanna accepted the Urban Luxe award for her Fenty sportswear.
Rihanna shared a series of photos on Instagram to mark the occasion, including two photos of herself with Rocky on the red carpet. She wrote in the caption, "Thank you @asaprocky for representing us on the carpet and always being so supportive of @Fenty !!"
December 11, 2019: Rihanna is spotted in the crowd at Rocky's concert in Stockholm
Shortly after Rihanna was reportedly hanging out with Rocky's entourage after his Rolling Loud set in New York City, the beauty mogul was spotted in the crowd at the rapper's concert in Sweden.
January 17, 2020: They hang out at the 2020 Yams Day Benefit Concert
Following her widely reported split from Jameel, Rihanna was seen hanging out with Rocky and Drake at the annual charity concert, which Rocky organizes and headlines with his musical group, A$AP Mob.
Later that same day, Rihanna and Rocky were photographed sharing laughs while attending a concert in New York, according to The Sun.
February 11, 2020: They share a meal at Nice Guy amid reports of 'hooking up'
The pair organized a clandestine meet-up at the West Hollywood restaurant Nice Guy. As reported by OK! Magazine, they arrived separately, and Rocky kept his hood over his head throughout dinner.
A few days prior, an anonymous source told Us Weekly, "Rihanna and A$AP are hanging out and hooking up. They're having fun and have always had chemistry."
Summer 2020: Their relationship becomes serious during a cross-country road trip
In a 2022 interview with Vogue, Rihanna confirmed that it "took a while" for Rocky to get out of the "friend zone," but said they began dating at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
That summer, they drove from Los Angeles to New York together in a tour bus.
"He became my family in that time," she said.
According to Vogue editor Chioma Nnadi, "They'd park and Rihanna would grill barefoot while Rocky tie-dyed T-shirts picked up at the gas station."
"I love the simple things but also the grand adventures," Rihanna told Nnadi. "There's no pretentious my-brand-your-brand bullshit, it's just us living. I just feel like I can do any part of life by his side."
July 2020: Rihanna recruits Rocky for her Fenty Skin campaign
A post shared by FENTY SKIN (@fentyskin)
The two artists did a photo shoot together to promote the Fenty Beauty founder's new skincare line.
August 26, 2020: Rocky interviews Rihanna for Vogue
During a filmed interview, the two seemed giddy and couldn't stop laughing as Rihanna answered 15 questions from Rocky, mainly about fashion and skincare.
At one point, Rihanna told the rapper he has "pretty skin."
She also asked him about the hardest part about working on her Fenty Skin campaign, to which he replied, "I think the hardest part about working with you is not goofin' off and laughing the whole time."
"Like, this shit is comedy. That's the hardest part," he continued. "You know, people be so cool it's hard not to, not to laugh. That's all. But it was fun. The hardest part is not having too much fun. You just forget that it's still, you know, work at the end of the day."
At the end of the interview, Rocky thanked Rihanna for "identifying my beauty as a man."
"I appreciate you, like for real, for real," he continued. "It was good catching up with you and everything."
November 30, 2020: People magazine confirms reports of their romance
After months of dating rumors, an anonymous source told People that Rihanna and Rocky had made their relationship official. At the time, neither star directly corroborated this claim.
Late 2020: They grab dinner in New York and stroll around the city together
In November 2020, Rihanna and Rocky were seen having dinner with a group of friends at the Beatrice Inn, a restaurant in the West Village, according to Page Six.
The following month, the couple was spotted walking side-by-side at night, wearing winter coats and masks.
An anonymous source told People, "They've been inseparable the past few weeks," adding, "It's a new relationship, but they both seem very into it."
December 29, 2020: Rocky meets Rihanna's family in Barbados
During the Christmas holiday, Rihanna brought Rocky on vacation to Barbados, her home country.
TMZ published photos of the couple jet skiing, tubing, and going on dinner dates. They were also photographed kissing on a boat, all but confirming their romantic relationship.
Rihanna later told Vogue that she brought Rocky home to meet her family.
"My mother has a really good read on people. She observes first and then she'll move slowly. I guess I'm like that too," she said. "There are some guys that I've dated that she won't even look at to this day. But she was charmed by him from the jump."
After returning to New York in January, the couple was seen having dinner with a group of friends at the Italian restaurant Emilio's Ballato, according to E! News. A few months later, their courtship was still going strong; they attended a dinner party in April at the Los Angeles hot spot Delilah.
May 19, 2021: Rocky confirms their romantic relationship and calls Rihanna 'the one'
In a cover story for GQ, the rapper called Rihanna "my lady" and "the love of my life," officially confirming the dating rumors.
"So much better when you got 'the one.' She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones," he said. "I think when you know, you know. She's the one."
A post shared by GQ (@gq)
Rocky also revealed that Rihanna had "absolutely" inspired some of his new music and has given feedback on his working projects.
"It's important to have somebody that you can bounce those creative juices and ideas off of. It's just a different point of view," he said.
The Harlem-born hitmaker even discussed parenthood, saying he's "absolutely" ready to become a father, "if that's in my destiny."
"I think I'd be an incredible, remarkably, overall amazing dad," he told GQ. "I would have a very fly child. Very."
June 27, 2021: Rocky literally sweeps Rihanna off her feet
During a date night in Manhattan, the self-titled "Pretty Boy Flacko" scooped Rihanna up and carried her through the Lower East Side, according to TMZ.
July 10, 2021: Rihanna and Rocky are spotted filming a new project in New York City
The musicians were seen hugging and holding hands as they took a stroll through the Bronx with a film crew.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are seen on set for a music video on July 10, 2021 in New York City.
Gotham/GC Images via Getty
The following day, the couple was photographed sitting and smiling on a fire escape in the same borough, film crew on hand.
They coordinated with colorful, fuzzy attire: Rihanna donned a pink oversized coat, while Rocky wore a puffy green Eskimo hat.
Rihanna and A$AP Rcoky are seen filming a music video in the Bronx on July 11, 2021 in New York City.
Raymond Hall/GC Images via Getty
Later that month, the pair traveled to Florida together. They dined at Miami's World Famous House of Mac and had dinner with the restaurant's owner, Derrick Turton, according to the Daily Mail.
September 6, 2021: Nicki Minaj shares a photo with Rihanna and Rocky
The happy couple spent an evening hanging out at the Petty residence, posing for a cozy photo on the sofa with Minaj, as well as her husband and son.
A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj)
Minaj posted the group shot on Instagram, writing in the caption, "Love her downnnnnnn." She also added the hashtags "Queen Rih" and "Caribbean girls run it."
September 13, 2021: They make their red carpet debut as a couple at the Met Gala
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attend the 2021 Met Gala.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
The couple arrived late to the famed fundraiser, but made plenty of time to pose together on the red carpet.
It was the first time Rihanna had made an official public appearance with a man since the 2013 Grammy Awards.
January 31, 2022: The couple reveals they're expecting their first child
Rihanna and Rocky were photographed walking hand-in-hand through his hometown of Harlem on January 28.
In the set of photos — published by Page Six, the Daily Mail, and People three days later — Rihanna's coat was strategically unbuttoned to reveal her growing baby bump, which she adorned with a bejeweled body chain.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky photographed in New York City after dining at Pastis on January 28, 2022.
Gotham/GC Images
It would be the first child for both Rihanna and Rocky, who had previously discussed their eagerness for parenthood.
Back in March 2020, Rihanna told British Vogue that she planned to have "three or four" kids in the next 10 years, even if she didn't have a partner.
During her third trimester, Rihanna told Vogue that she and Rocky weren't necessarily planning to start a family, "but certainly not planning against it."
"I don't know when I ovulate or any of that type of shit. We just had fun," she said. "And then it was just there on the test. I didn't waste any time. I called him inside and showed him. Then I was in the doctor's office the next morning and our journey began."
May 5, 2022: Rihanna stars in the music video for Rocky's 'D.M.B.'
The "D.M.B." music video was revealed to be the project that Rocky and Rihanna were filming in July 2021.
In one scene, Rocky wears a grill that clearly says "Marry me?" while Rihanna wears one that says "I do."
In another scene, Rocky removes a red veil from Rihanna's face, reminiscent of a wedding. The couple then walks down a hallway arm-in-arm while people clap and throw flower petals.
Rocky wrote and directed the video, which he billed as a "ghetto love tale" on his Instagram.
Five months later, the couple still hadn't shared their son's name.
"We just didn't get around to it yet really," Rihanna told the Washington Post in November, per Hypebae. "We've just been living, but I guess there's a certain freedom that comes with kind of just, like, getting it out there."
December 19, 2022: Rihanna shares the first video of their son
February 15, 2023: Their family is featured on the cover of British Vogue
Rihanna, Rocky, and their son posed for the magazine's March 2023 issue, shot by photographers Inez & Vinoodh.
For her first in-depth interview since giving birth, Rihanna opened up about her "legendary" experience with motherhood thus far.
"It's everything. You really don't remember life before, that's the craziest thing ever," she said. "You literally try to remember it — and there are photos of my life before — but the feeling, the desires, the things that you enjoy, everything, you just don't identify with it because you don't even allow yourself mentally to get that far, because... Because it doesn't matter."
She also said becoming parents has made her and Rocky stronger as a couple.
"We're best friends with a baby," she said. "We have to be on the same page, but we've always kind of had that in our relationship. Everything changes when you have a baby but I wouldn't say it's done anything but made us closer."
The couple continued to decline to reveal their son's name, insisting on calling him "baby" in the presence of Vogue's reporter.
May 1, 2023: Once again, Rihanna and Rocky walk the Met Gala red carpet together
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky walk the 2023 Met Gala red carpet.
August 2023: The couple welcomes their second child, a son named Riot Rose
On August 21, 2023, TMZ broke the news that Rihanna had given birth earlier in the month, although the exact date isn't known.
People later confirmed the report, citing anonymous sources close to the couple.
The following month, Access Hollywood obtained a copy of the birth certificate, which listed the baby boy's name as Riot Rose Mayers. He shares a first name with Rocky's 2023 single "Riot (Rowdy Pipe'n)."
Rihanna later revealed the name was proposed by Pharrell Williams, who produced Rocky's song.
"He gave us this name thinking it was going to be a girl, because he had seen something online," she told Harper's Bazaar. "Pharrell is very deep. He's not surface. He will never say anything and just leave it there with a full stop. He will have the entire history: the energy, the time, the month that it is."
May 5, 2025: Rihanna reveals her third pregnancy at the Met Gala
Rihanna at the 2025 Met Gala.
Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty Images
Before arriving at the Met Gala, Rihanna was photographed outside the Carlyle Hotel wearing a form-fitting Miu Miu set that showed off her baby bump.
Rocky, who was a co-chair for the event, told reporters on the red carpet that it felt "amazing" to reveal the family's news.
"It's time that we show the people what we was cooking up," he said, per the Associated Press. "I'm glad everybody's happy for us 'cause we definitely happy, you know."
However, Rihanna also shut down wedding rumors during a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Asked if her recent bridal collection for Savage X Fenty meant she had "another milestone" to share with fans, Rihanna replied, "No, girl, you know I don't keep secrets very well."
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates is dating philanthropist Paula Hurd.
They were spotted together at tennis tournaments in 2022 and 2023.
Gates confirmed their relationship in February and named her in the acknowledgments of his memoir.
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and philanthropist Paula Hurd sat one row apart from each other at a tennis tournament in 2021. The following year, they were photographed cozying up to each other in the stands.
Gates and Hurd have gone public with their relationship since they were first spotted together, walking red carpets and attending sporting events like the 2024 Olympics.
Both were previously married. Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage and share three children. Hurd was married to Mark Hurd, a former CEO of Oracle and Hewlett-Packard with whom she shared two children, until his death in 2019.
Gates, whose net worth is estimated at $109.6 billion, has called Hurd his "serious girlfriend." Here's a timeline of their relationship.
Gates Ventures declined to comment when reached by Business Insider.
October 2021: Gates and Hurd, both avid tennis fans, ran in similar circles before they started dating.
Bill Gates (middle row, second from left) at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament. Hurd was seated in the row behind him on the left.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
At the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in 2021, Gates was seated one row in front of Hurd next to his ex-girlfriend, Ann Winblad.
March 2022: Hurd and Gates appeared cozy at the Indian Wells tennis tournament in California.
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates at the Indian Wells tennis tournament.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Hurd and Gates attended several games of the tournament in Indian Wells, California, and appeared to lean into each other in the stands of a match between Paula Badosa of Spain and Maria Sakkari of Greece.
September 2022: Gates and Hurd were spotted together again at the Laver Cup tennis tournament in London.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the Laver Cup.
Glyn KIRK/AFP via Getty Images
Gates and Hurd are both deeply involved in tennis. Gates has played in charity matches with pros such as Roger Federer, and Hurd chairs the Universal Tennis Foundation, which helps college players transition into professional athletes and supports youth and wheelchair tennis programs.
January 2023: They attended the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Bill Gates (bottom row, center) and Paula Hurd (bottom row, right) at the Australian Open tennis tournament.
DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images
Gates and Hurd sat in the front row of the men's singles final match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
February 2023: The Daily Mail reported that the two were in a relationship.
Paula Hurd (top row, first on the left) and Mark Hurd (top row, second from the left) were seated behind Bill Gates (bottom row, first on the right) at a 2015 tennis tournament.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Citing anonymous sources, the Daily Mail reported that Gates and Hurd were dating and had been spotted sightseeing together in Sydney in January.
The Daily Mail also reported that Hurd and her late husband had been seated behind Gates at the BNP Paribas Open as far back as 2015.
April 2024: Gates and Hurd walked the red carpet together at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.
Anna Webber/Variety via Getty Images
Gates and Hurd posed for photos together at the 2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony, nicknamed the "Oscars of science" for its recognition of scientific achievements.
July 2024: Hurd accompanied Gates to the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
The conference is known as a "billionaire summer camp" where top tech leaders and investors such as Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Warren Buffett attend industry sessions, play golf, and close deals.
August 2024: They watched gymnastics at the Paris Olympics.
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates at the Paris Olympics.
Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Hurd and Gates attended the women's gymnastics final and team final events. They were joined by Gates' daughter, Jennifer Gates, and her husband, Nayel Nassar, an equestrian who competed for Team Egypt at the same Olympics.
February 2025: Gates thanked Hurd in the acknowledgements of his memoir, "Source Code," and confirmed that they were dating.
Bill Gates during the promotion of his memoir, "Source Code."
NBC/Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
Gates' memoir, "Source Code," chronicles his upbringing and the early days of Microsoft.
In the acknowledgements of "Source Code," Gates mentioned Hurd as one of the "dear and trusted friends" who "provided much-needed thoughtful and insightful feedback at critical stages in the writing" of his book.
In an appearance on "The Today Show" promoting his memoir, Gates said that he was "lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula."
"We're having fun, going to the Olympics and lots of great things," he said.
April 2025: They walked the red carpet at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony once again.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the 11th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.
Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images
Gates and Hurd attended the star-studded ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
As 2019 neared its close, Del Rey's first two albums, "Born to Die" and "Ultraviolence," both landed on several decade-end lists. She was named one of the decade's defining artists by Business Insider.
But shortly after, Del Rey's behavior began to make more headlines than her music.
Her reputation suffered a rapid downturn, thanks to a string of controversial public statements, questionable accessories, and a strong tendency to double down.
Many fans even said they'd "lost respect" for the singer, and she became increasingly described online as a "problematic white woman." More recently, Del Rey has faced backlash for leaning into what listeners have described as a "conservative Southerner vibe" with her music, aesthetics, and inner circle.
Keep reading for a timeline of her biggest scandals and inflammatory comments.
Note: This article has been updated since its original publish date.
May 2020: Del Rey posted an unprompted public statement about her own reputation
It all began on May 21, four months after the 2020 Grammys, when Del Rey shared a lengthy open letter on Instagram.
Posed as a "question for the culture," Del Rey praised her own legacy and broadly described her critics as "pathetic."
"Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, Camila, Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, fucking, cheating etc," she wrote, "can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money, or whatever I want, without being crucified or saying that I'm glamorizing abuse?"
"I'm fed up with female writers and alt singers saying that I glamorize abuse," she continued, "when in reality I'm just a glamorous person singing about the realities of what we are all now seeing are very prevalent emotionally abusive relationships all over the world."
She defended writing songs about being "submissive" in relationships, despite what she described as "a long 10 years of bullshit reviews."
"I also feel it really paved the way for other women to stop 'putting on a happy face' and to just be able to say whatever the hell they wanted to in their music," she wrote, "unlike my experience where if I even expressed a note of sadness in my first two records I was deemed literally hysterical as though it was literally the 1920s."
Del Rey concluded her statement by plugging her forthcoming poetry books, mentioning that she donates to "Native American foundations," and announcing a new album.
It remains unclear what triggered Del Rey's statement, or why she felt compelled to defend her music after months of glowing reviews.
Early in her career, Del Rey was seen as a controversial figure, but largely due to accusations of inauthenticity and artifice — especially because she orchestrated an aesthetic pivot after releasing a "flop" album under her birth name, Lizzy Grant.
Del Rey's tragic-glam persona that she introduced in the "Born To Die" era, which leaned heavily on images of white Americana, received far more scrutiny than her lyrics. She was also criticized in 2014 for telling Fader, "Feminism is just not an interesting concept."
Del Rey may have been reacting to a 2019 article from The Independent, in which writer Helen Brown "examines how easy it is to misread her lyrics as 'antifeminist'" — although Brown actually defends Del Rey's "sharp" songwriting and roundly praises her newest album.
Additionally, six out of the seven people she mentioned were women of color, which sparked accusations of racism.
As Tulane University's Christine Capetola wrote, in addition to her reductive descriptions of their music, Del Rey "failed to recognize Black female artists' decades-long — and ongoing — struggle to express their sexualities on their own terms within the realm of pop music."
Del Rey also implied that she's more "delicate" than her peers, and claimed that feminism is intolerant of "women who look and act like me."
"The optics of Lana, a white woman, complaining about feminism lacking space for her while critiquing the acclaim allotted to several Black pop artists is mortifying," Ashley Reese wrote for Jezebel.
YouTuber D'Angelo Wallace said Del Rey's album announcement was amplified by media coverage of the controversy.
"Was Lana Del Rey profiting off Black outrage to sell her album? Yes," he said in a video titled, "Lana Del Rey has Lana Del LOST IT."
"I don't think she did it on purpose," he said. "But once she realized who she was making mad, and that it was getting her even more attention than she initially was looking for, she made four follow-up comments. And they were all about the outrage."
He added: "I'm just gonna be honest. This is where my respect for her started to dip."
Shortly after, Del Rey doubled down and insisted she's not racist
Del Rey's response to the backlash focused on her reasoning for naming specific artists.
"To be clear because I knowwww you love to twist things. I fucking love these singers and know them. #that is why I mentioned them," she wrote. "I would like to have some of the same freedom of expression without judgment of hysteria."
"I haven't had the same opportunity to express what I wanted to express without being completely decimated," she continued in a second comment. "And if you want to say that has something to do with race that's your opinion but that's not what I was saying."
"This is the problem with society today," she said in a third comment. "It's exactly the point of my post — there are certain women that culture doesn't want to have a voice it may not have to do with race I don't know what it has to do with."
"I don't care anymore but don't ever ever ever ever bro- call me racist because that is bullshit."
"And my last and final note on everything," Del Rey wrote in a fourth comment, "when I said people who look like me — I meant the people who don't look strong or necessarily smart, or like they're in control etc. it's about advocating for a more delicate personality, not for white women — thanks for the Karen comments tho. V helpful."
However, Del Rey's comments struck many people as overly defensive, tone-deaf, and unproductive, rather than illuminating.
"'Don't ever call me racist' is hands-down the single-most disappointing reaction to accusations of racism," Wallace said in his video.
yeah when you offend a group of ppl, even if it wasn’t your intent..this is not the right response. why is so hard to just say “i hear you, i apologize for how my statement made you guys feel, it was never my intentions, i just wanted to shed light on blank” and keep it moving https://t.co/2WSbRE4V8z
— lady gaga’s defense attorney (@codistweets) May 22, 2020
Black writers like Nichole Perkins and Roxane Gay also pointed out Del Rey's use of "coded" language and self-victimization.
So the women that she mentioned previously cannot be delicate? The narrative of the "strong black woman" that ultimately prevents us from being allowed to display any sort of vulnerability is just another racist bias she doesn't realize she has... She needs to stop talking asap
Del Rey posted an additional statement on Instagram, accusing her critics of wanting a 'race war'
One day after her original post, Del Rey continued to insist that it "wasn't controversial at all," despite national news coverage and widespread backlash.
In her additional statement, she implied that Ariana Grande and Doja Cat reached out to express discomfort with her message.
But "despite the feedback," Del Rey doubled down once again.
"I want to say that I remain firm in my clarity and stance in that what i was writing about was the importance of self-advocacy for the more delicate and often dismissed, softer female personality, and that there does have to be room for that type in what will inevitably become a new wave/3rd wave of feminism that is rapidly approaching," she wrote, even though the third wave of feminism began more than 20 years ago.
"I'm sorry that the folks who I can only assume are super Trump/Pence supporters or hyper liberals or flip-flopping headline grabbing critics can't read and want to make it a race war," she continued.
She also accused her female critics of being "disassociated from their own fragility and sexuality" and wanting "drama."
"My aim and my message are clear. That I have control of my own story," she concluded. "If the women I mention don't wanna be associated with me that's absolutely fine by me."
Again, fans criticized Del Rey for dismissing feedback rather than engaging with it.
Many noted that Del Rey's repeated self-characterization as a "delicate" woman plays into racist stereotypes, which historically paint white women as more feminine or fragile — allowing them to escape accountability more easily.
It also highlights the idea that Del Rey is "playing the victim."
"Lana really wants to act like she's the most original artist playing the victim and honestly she's full of shit," one person wrote on X (then known as Twitter).
She was also mocked for not-so-casually plugging her poetry book in the midst of her non-apology.
Del Rey made a further attempt to defend her open letter 3 days later — and compared herself to another woman of color
"In that post — my one and only personal declaration I've ever made, thanks for being so warm and welcoming — was about the need for fragility in the feminist movement," Del Rey said on May 25 in a six-minute video on Instagram.
"When I mentioned women who 'look like me,' I didn't mean white like me, I mean the kind of women who, you know, other people might not believe," Del Rey said in the video. "The difference is, when I get on the pole, people call me a whore, but when twigs gets on the pole, it's art."
She added: "The culture is super sick right now. And the fact that they wanna turn my post, my advocacy for fragility, into a race war — it's really bad. It's actually really bad."
She also expressed frustration that her letter received backlash, though she didn't address any of the specific criticism she received from artists and fans of color.
"It really, again, makes you reach into the depth of your own heart and say, 'Am I good-intentioned?' And of course, for me, the answer is always yes," she said. "I barely ever share a thing, and this is why."
Del Rey wrapped up by insisting that she's "not racist," plugging her poetry books, and refusing to apologize for her original statement: "Fuck off if you don't like the post."
Once again, Del Rey was perceived as being resentful towards successful women of color, ignorant of her own privilege, and determined to play the victim.
"The fact that she said race war and doesn't see twigs as a fragile, delicate woman is... You're really making it worse," one person wrote.
Another added: "You can hear FKA twigs' pain on 'Magdalene' period. I need Lana to stop bringing black women into her argument for creating a brand she cannot escape from."
Most fans (and former fans at this point) agreed that Del Rey's video "only made things worse."
"I didn't think she was this kind of person," Wallace said in his video. "Now I have the knowledge that Lana Del Rey is kind of ruthless in her pursuit of getting people to talk about her, and she doesn't seem to care who gets angry in the process, or even if what she's saying is right. So, that's a lot."
June 2020: She was called out by Black artists for sharing videos of protesters
According to Billboard, the first video showed a man holding a sign that read "no justice no peace," while the second showed people breaking into storefronts and running away with merchandise. She disabled comments on the post.
On X, Kehlani implored Del Rey to remove the videos because they showed uncensored faces and identifying features, which could lead to "dangerous" consequences for the protesters.
".@LanaDelRey please remove your instagram post it's dangerous as fuck and a very poor choice of moments to post," Kehlani tweeted. "by all means protest, but DO NOT endanger people with your very massive platform. oh and turn your fuckin comments on man."
Kehlani added: "it's about furthering endangering the lives of black people. it's about responsibility."
Tinashe echoed Kehlani's comments in a tweet of her own.
"@LanaDelRey why the fuck are you posting people looting stores on your page literally WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM," she wrote.
After Del Rey removed the video from Instagram, Kehlani and Tinashe both deleted their tweets.
October 2020: Del Rey came under fire after apparently wearing a mesh face mask
Aside from postponing her album, which was originally slated for release in September 2020, Del Rey remained fairly quiet in the wake of her divisive video — except to promote her aforementioned poetry book, "Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass."
In October, Del Rey hosted a book signing at a Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In videos and photos from the event, she appeared to wear a mesh-style face mask, which, according to the CDC's recommendations, would not effectively barrier respiratory droplets.
"I love you sis but please wear a real mask, it gives a bad message," one user commented on Del Rey's Instagram video.
"i love lana sm but what the frick is she doing ? the covid situation in the united states is worsening and she refuses to wear a proper mask, that really infuriates me," another fan wrote on X. "so many ppl have died there."
Others called Del Rey "selfish" and said they were growing tired of defending her.
Lana Del Rey is the perfect example of what being an ignorant problematic white woman does to you.... it ages you 40x older. 2019 Vs. 2020. pic.twitter.com/T65SVaKqLO
"The mask had plastic on the inside," Del Rey wrote. "They're commonly sewn in by stylists these days. I don't generally respond to articles because I don't care. But there ya go. Same goes for everyone's masks in my video. I'm lucky enough to have a team of people who can do that."
She also seemed to poke fun at the controversy in her music video for "Chemtrails Over the Country Club," in which she dons a nearly identical mask.
Lana Del Rey in "Chemtrails Over the Country Club."
Lana Del Rey/YouTube
January 10, 2021: Del Rey unveiled the cover art for her new album — and preemptively defended it with a 'problematic' comment
The black-and-white cover for "Chemtrails Over the Country Club" shows Del Rey grinning and surrounded by friends, all huddled around a table.
Shortly after she shared the image, Del Rey commented on her own Instagram post with preemptive self-defense.
"No this was not intended — these are my best friends, since you are asking today," she wrote, although it's unclear who was asking. (This was written as a stand-alone comment, not a reply to anyone in particular.)
"As it happens when it comes to my amazing friends and this cover, yes, there are people of color on this record's picture and that's all I'll say about that," she wrote. "We are all a beautiful mix of everything - some more than others, which is visible and celebrated in everything I do."
"In 11 years working I have always been extremely inclusive without trying to," she continued. "My best friends are rappers, my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place, so before you make comments again about a WOC/POC issue, I'm not the one storming the capital, I'm literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there on the table 24 seven. Respect it."
The following day, during an interview with BBC's Annie Mac, Del Rey said that "actually half the people in this photo are people of color."
"I just feel like if that's really what people are gonna say, I have an answer for them, which is that if you look closer, you will see people of color," she added. "It's a black-and-white image, so zoom in, you know. It's just weird, you know?"
Naturally, some people did make jokes about the cover's perceived lack of diversity, while others called the image "tone deaf."
Del Rey was also mocked for claiming that she's "literally changing the world" with her writing.
"We love her and understand her intentions but we cannot keep defending this shit," one fan commented on Del Rey's Instagram post. "That comment is so problematic in so many ways."
"I literally have her lyrics tattooed on my body but I'm also a political activist and I cannot defend this shit at all. I wish we could be excited about the album and only that but shit like this makes it hard to be," the fan continued. "Nothing about her statement is okay."
"If she's going to breathe life into [the] aesthetics of a time where racism was at one of its peaks, and not use her platform in the same breath to advocate today's issues properly, accurately, and tactfully. That's an issue."
January 11, 2021: Del Rey was criticized for saying Trump 'doesn't know that he's inciting a riot'
During an interview with BBC's Annie Mac, Del Rey compared President Donald Trump to "people who didn't know they hurt other people."
"You know, he doesn't know that he's inciting a riot, and I believe that," she said, adding that Trump has "delusions of grandeur."
"The madness of Trump… As bad as it was, it really needed to happen. We really needed a reflection of our world's greatest problem, which is not climate change but sociopathy and narcissism," she said, per Complex. "Especially in America. It's going to kill the world. It's not capitalism, it's narcissism."
One person replied on X: "Lana stans gonna be doing some mental gymnastics to explain this one."
Del Rey then lashed out at 'larger magazines' for 'taking my well-intentioned and believe it or not liberal comments out of context'
The day following her interview with Mac, Del Rey responded to Complex's coverage of her comments.
"OK complex not that our 10 year relationship matters I guess," she wrote in a since-deleted post on Twitter, now X. "Thanks for the cool soundbite taken out of context, I said that the bigger problem is Sociopathy-so whether he meant to incite a riot is less important than the larger issue in America at hand -the problem of sociopathy."
"It's fucked up," she continued. "You know I'm real. You know I voted for Biden. I'm super steady in everything I've ever said. You probably listened to my entire interview. So whoever wrote this is a genuine piece of shit. I am the one helping bringing the problem with narcissism to light."
"I'm actually not tone deaf, I don't think there's anything tone deaf about responding to questions about why there are only white women on a album cover when that's just not the case," she tweeted. "I'm not gonna let people say that some thing is what it isn't. You're jealous I get it."
In an additional (now-deleted) tweet, Del Rey added that her new music is "great" and described herself as "one of the only artists who is genuine."
Del Rey continued tweeting about her BBC interview, clarifying that she meant to criticize Trump's "significant lack of empathy" and "the issue of sociopathy and narcissism in America."
"I'll say it again I don't appreciate the larger magazines taking my well-intentioned and believe it or not liberal comments out of context," she wrote. "It's actually what I sing about quite often. It's what I've been condemned for saying."
She also expressed disdain for negative publicity, citing her "long term relationship" with magazines like Complex and Rolling Stone, calling the former "pathetic."
Uproxx's Steven Hyden described the now-deleted tweet as "a hilarious and illuminating snapshot of pop-star brain."
Indeed, Del Rey has lashed out at journalists and music critics in the past.
Back in September 2019, she tweeted her displeasure with Ann Powers' review of "Norman Fucking Rockwell!" for NPR — even though Powers described the album as "instantly compelling, a pro asserting her future spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
True to form, Del Rey doubled down with a video, in which she defended her comments about Trump and called out Complex again.
"I just wanna talk about a couple of things, some of the articles that are coming out today, about me thinking that Trump didn't mean to incite the riots," she began. "I think it's cute that that's the little takeaway that Complex gets from that — especially with our relationship over the last 10 years, obviously completely disregarded."
"I get it. I have something to say, and I don't just show up giggling and talking about my hair and my makeup," she continued. "I was asked directly political questions for over 40 minutes by the BBC Radio 1, and I answered them."
"Lana is beyond parody," one person wrote. "People are saying she's the epitome of white woman feminism and she defends herself with more white woman feminism."
"I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow we are going to be deactivating my social media accounts, and that is simply because I have so many other interests and other jobs I'm doing that require privacy and transparency," Del Rey said.
"I'm still very present and love what I do. I'm absolutely here for the music. I'm also just going on some different endeavors and I want to say thank you so much for all the support and I do hope that you like the record," she added, referencing her eighth album "Blue Banisters," which was released later that same month.
Del Rey later became active again on Instagram, using the account handle @honeymoon, though her X account remains inactive.
March 24, 2023: She included a megachurch pastor's sermon on her new album, dividing fans
On Del Rey's ninth studio album, "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd," track five is titled "Judah Smith Interlude."
The four-minute track gives an uninterrupted platform to Judah Smith, a preacher at the Christian megachurch Churchome. Smith, Del Rey, and producer Jack Antonoff are all listed as cowriters.
Del Rey also thanked Smith in a Facebook post a few months prior, "for giving me good guidance" and "for letting me record a part of his sermon for this record."
In the song, Smith denounces "a life dominated with lust" and praises God as "the fascinating artist who fashioned it all."
"The Spirit of God says, 'I'll infuse you with desirеs for what you have and what's in front of you,'" Smith preaches.
As Them previously reported, many fans — especially those who identify as queer — were divided in their reactions to "Judah Smith Interlude." One X user called it "creepy," while another said, "it's giving conversion therapy cult leader."
Indeed, Smith has reportedly made homophobic comments in the past. According to Marie Claire, he called homosexuality a sin comparable to "murder, rape, or living with your girlfriend" during a 2005 interview. (The interview in question isn't available online.)
Hillsong has long been associated with anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ views. A report from NPR described it as "an ultra-conservative church with a dark past," including connections to pedophilia.
"I was uncomfortable. I'm not religious and thought it was weird to include. Considering who he is, it's very weird," one person wrote on Reddit. Another agreed, reasoning that Del Rey could have invented "a weird fake religious monologue" instead of "publicizing a real pastor that sucks."
However, some fans of Del Rey have defended "Judah Smith Interlude" as satirical or "ironic." As Coleman Spilde wrote for the Daily Beast, "Del Rey is exactly the type of person who would attend a celebrity-studded mega-church, both for a cleansing of the soul and to lambaste its intrinsic flamboyance with her friends."
"As a gay atheist that grew up in the Catholic Church, y'all are really bent out of shape over this," another fan commented in a Reddit thread. "I love how provocative this whole thing is and it's exactly why I love Lana."
June 24, 2023: Del Rey arrived 30 minutes late to the stage at Glastonbury, telling the crowd, 'My hair takes so long to do'
"I was so fucking late that I am about to rush this set today," she told the crowd. "If they cut power, they cut power. I'm super fucking sorry. My hair takes so long to do. I love you to death. Let's keep on running the set as it's supposed to go."
As a result, Del Rey's microphone was cut off due to the festival's strict midnight curfew — although she encouraged the crowd to sing her final song, "Video Games," instead.
Despite some outrage directed at Glastonbury, many fans blamed Del Rey and said she lacked respect for the fans who came to see her perform.
September 26, 2024: Del Rey married Jeremy Dufrene, an alligator tour guide based in Louisiana
About one month after Del Rey and Dufrene sparked romance rumors, paparazzi photos surfaced of the singer wearing a white gown at a public bayou in Des Allemandes, Louisiana.
"Jeremy is the one and only. And amazing. And we're very happy," Del Rey later wrote on Instagram.
Fans were shocked and confused by the news of Del Rey's nuptials. For many, her marriage to Dufrene confirmed their suspicions that she has embraced a conservative lifestyle; unverified screenshots from Dufrene's public Facebook that appear to show support for Trump throughout the 2024 election. (Dufrene's social media accounts have since been set to private.)
Nearly three months after her wedding, Del Rey praised her husband as an "honest partner who has no skin in the game" during a speech at the Variety Hitmakers ceremony.
"It's super nerve-racking to have to hold onto an innocent perception of how things could go when you're in an industry where maybe your values or your morals don't quite match up with what's going on — especially when people think that you probably don't have any morals or values," she said, per Billboard.
Resharing a clip of her speech on X, Meghan McCain wrote: "Lana is code talking about being a conservative woman here. I know what I speak of."
Lana is code talking about being a conservative woman here. I know what I speak of. https://t.co/PLPUdjcSlu
April 25, 2025: Del Rey sang about kissing Morgan Wallen during her Stagecoach debut
Del Rey debuted several unreleased songs during her first-ever performance at Stagecoach, California's biggest country music festival.
One song, titled "57.5," includes an intimate lyric about the country musician Morgan Wallen, whose rise to fame has been marked by a string of arrests and scandals.
"I kissed Morgan Wallen / I guess kissing me kind of went to his head," Del Rey sang. "If you want my secret to success / I suggest don't go ATVing with him when you're out West."
Before delivering the lyric, Del Rey warned the crowd, "This is the last time I'm ever gonna say this line."
Del Rey's name-dropping of Wallen inspired a flurry of mixed reactions. Although the song depicts their encounter in a negative light, which many fans relished as juicy gossip, Del Rey seemed to know that willingly associating herself with Wallen — who's best known in liberal circles for flouting COVID-19 protocols and using a racial slur on camera — would invite attention, speculation, and possibly even backlash.
"Every couple months Lana has to remind y'all she's a conservative," one detractor wrote on X. Other posts referred to her as a "secret Republican" and "MAGA Del Rey." Over on Reddit, self-proclaimed former fans lamented the progression of her songwriting ("This can't be the same woman that wrote 'Cruel World'") and her recently countrified aesthetic ("This whole trad wife southern cosplay isn't really for me").
LDR10 singles are horrible, visuals are horrible, released a song about kissing morgan wallen, every song is flopping, and everyone is unstanning lana. we truly won pic.twitter.com/QeCXXkJafk
Reactions were similarly mixed on TikTok, where some people described the revelation as "iconic" and others as problematic. One video criticizing Wallen, Del Rey, her husband, and her fans has amassed over 64,000 likes.
"Y'all are about to call me 'the friend that's too woke' and I don't really give a shit, 'cause Lana Del Rey getting on that main stage and saying she kissed Morgan Wallen actually is that bad," the creator said.
Representatives for Del Rey have not responded to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Morgan Wallen released his fourth album, "I'm the Problem," on May 16, 2025.
Spidey Smith
Morgan Wallen released his new album, "I'm the Problem," featuring duets with Post Malone and Tate McRae.
His success has come despite a string of controversies, including using a racial slur on video.
In 2024, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless endangerment after throwing a chair off a roof.
On the surface, Morgan Wallen is a country star at the top of his game.
Morgan's third studio album, 2023's "One Thing at a Time," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remained there for 19 weeks, breaking the record for most weeks among country albums. He finished that year as Billboard's top-performing Hot 100 artist.
His commercial success doesn't appear to be slowing; Morgan scored two No. 1 hits in 2024 with Post Malone's "I Had Some Help" and his solo single "Love Somebody."
The latter song is featured on Wallen's newest album, "I'm the Problem," which arrived on Friday. The 37-song tracklist also includes "I Ain't Comin' Back," another duet with Post Malone, and "What I Want," a much-anticipated collaboration with Tate McRae.
However, Wallen's rise to fame has come in spite of a string of controversies, including multiple arrests. Keep reading for a timeline of his biggest scandals.
Barnaby Lane contributed to an earlier version of this story.
May 23, 2020: Wallen is kicked out of Kid Rock's bar and arrested.
Morgan Wallen rose to fame on season six of "The Voice."
Getty/Matt Winkelmeyer
According to The Tennessean, Wallen was arrested and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges during a night out in downtown Nashville.
Police said Wallen was kicked out of Kid Rock's Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N' Roll Steakhouse at about 11 p.m. for "kicking glass items." He then got into verbal fights with passersby on the street.
"We didn't mean any harm, and we want to say sorry to any bar staff or anyone that was affected," Wallen said in a since-deleted tweet the day after the incident. "Thank you to the local authorities for being so professional and doing their job with class. Love y'all."
Prosecutors later abandoned the charges.
October 2020: Wallen is filmed partying without a mask during lockdown.
Wallen broke Alabama's COVID-19 protocols.
Inside Edition/TMZ
Just one week before Wallen was set to make his debut appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in October 2020, videos of the singer drinking and making out with women at packed bars and parties in Alabama emerged online.
October 7, 2020: Wallen's "SNL" appearance is canceled.
Wallen was replaced by Jack White after his "SNL" performance was canceled.
Getty/Brett Carlsen
Wallen's "SNL" appearance was canceled because he broke COVID-19 restrictions. He was quickly replaced by Jack White.
"My actions this past weekend were pretty short-sighted and they have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams," he said in an Instagram video after getting axed by NBC producers.
October 7, 2020: Wallen drops out of headlining a festival in Georgia.
Wallen was booked to headline the 2020 Rome River Jam.
Getty/John Shearer
The same day Wallen's "SNL" gig was canceled, he also canceled his headline slot at the Rome River Jam in Georgia — just two days before he was scheduled to take the stage.
According to Billboard, the festival — which allowed fans to gather in their own socially distanced, open-air pods — was expected to be the largest event planned for country fans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Wallen was replaced by Lee Brice on the lineup.
December 5, 2020: Wallen jokes about breaking COVID-19 precautions during an "SNL" sketch.
Wallen appeared in an "SNL" skit with Jason Bateman.
YouTube/Saturday Night Live
Wallen made his "SNL" debut two months after his original appearance was canceled.
During the show, Wallen made a surprise appearance during a skit to poke fun at his recent behavior.
In the sketch, Wallen is drinking at an Alabama bar when he meets two future versions of himself, played by Jason Bateman and Bowen Yang, who warn him of what's about to unfold.
"Someone's going to post a video of you breaking COVID-19 protocols, and the whole internet is going to freak out," Bateman says to Wallen.
February 2, 2021: Wallen is caught on video using the N-word.
Wallen's "Dangerous: The Double Album" charted at No. 1 in 2021.
Getty/John Shearer
In a video caught on a neighbor's doorbell cam and published by TMZ, Wallen can be heard using the N-word to address his friend after a night out in Nashville.
"I'm embarrassed and sorry," Wallen said to TMZ. "I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better."
February 3, 2021: Wallen's music is pulled from radio stations across the United States.
Wallen was rebuked for his use of the N-word.
Getty/Jason Kempin
Stations like SiriusXM and iHeartRadio pulled Wallen's music from the air following the release of TMZ's video. Streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify also made the move to de-platform Wallen's music.
CMT also took a stand against Wallen's behavior.
"After learning of Morgan Wallen's racial slur late last night, we are in the process of removing his appearances from all our platforms," the country-music cable network announced on Twitter. "We do not tolerate or condone words and actions that are in direct opposition to our core values that celebrate diversity, equity & inclusion."
February 3, 2021: Wallen is suspended by his record label.
Morgan Wallen was filmed using a racial slur outside his home in Nashville.
Republic Records, which partnered with Big Loud to distribute Wallen's music, tweeted a statement supporting the decision.
"Such behavior will not be tolerated," the statement reads.
February 10, 2021: Wallen issues an apology video.
Wallen asked his fans not to defend him.
Instagram/morganwallen
In a lengthy video shared on his Instagram, Wallen apologized for his remarks and said that he had spoken to leaders in the Black community.
Wallen also shared that he was attempting to get sober.
"I have one favor to ask. I appreciate those who still see something in me and have defended me," he said. "But for today, please don't. I was wrong. It's on me to take ownership for this. And I fully accept any penalties I'm facing."
"Our actions matter, our words matter," he added. "And I just want to encourage anyone watching to please learn from my mistakes."
October 28, 2021: Wallen is barred from attending the American Music Awards.
Wallen was nominated for two awards at the 2021 AMAs.
Getty/Mike Coppola
Wallen was a double nominee at the 2021 American Music Awards, receiving nods in the favorite male country artist and favorite country album categories.
However, he was barred from attending and accepting awards due to his use of the racial slur.
"Morgan Wallen is a nominee this year based on charting," said the show's producers in a statement. "As his conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting)."
"We plan to evaluate his progress in doing meaningful work as an ally to the Black community and will consider his participation in future shows," the statement adds.
May 15, 2022: Wallen performs at the Billboard Music Awards.
Morgan Wallen onstage at the 2022 BBMAs.
Getty/Matt Winkelmeyer
Wallen was a four-time nominee at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, which distributes awards based on streaming and sales figures.
He took the stage to perform a medley of "Don't Think Jesus" and "Wasted on You," his first award-show performance since he was filmed using the N-word. He also won the award for top country male artist.
During the awards ceremony, host Diddy said he was "uncanceling" Wallen.
"Love does not rock like that," said the hip-hop superstar. "I'm here to forgive, to unify, to celebrate, and to have everybody be free."
"I feel like I'm a pretty resilient person, and I'm a pretty happy person in general," Wallen told Warren. "But that was definitely a really difficult time, you know?"
"We tried to keep my sight set on better things," he continued. "I feel like if we just stay true to who I knew I really was, that it would, we would come out all right."
March 13, 2023: Wallen scores his first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Last Night."
"Last Night" was released as a single from "One Thing at a Time."
Morgan Wallen/YouTube
Wallen's third studio album, "One Thing at a Time," debuted at No. 1 upon its release in 2023.
All 36 of the album's tracks appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking Drake's single-week record. "Last Night" claimed the top spot, becoming Wallen's first No. 1 hit.
April 23, 2023: Wallen cancels his concert in Mississippi minutes before he's meant to take the stage.
Morgan Wallen performs at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival.
Toni Anne Barson/FilmMagic
Just moments before Wallen was set to appear at the Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, fans were shocked by a black-and-white message on the stage's big screen, announcing his last-minute cancellation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, Morgan has lost his voice and is unable to perform tonight," the message read. "Therefore, tonight's show has been canceled. Please make your way safely to the stadium exits. Refunds for tonight's event will be available at point of purchase."
Wallen later apologized in a statement on Instagram.
"After last night's show I started losing my voice so I spent the day resting up, talking to my doctor and working through my vocal exercise trying to get better," he wrote. "I am so sorry, I promise you guys I tried everything I could."
April 25, 2023: Wallen faces legal action for his concert's last-minute cancellation.
Morgan Wallen performed at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
April 8, 2024: Wallen is arrested in Nashville and charged with three felony counts.
Morgan Wallen, center, appears in court for a plea hearing on December 12, 2024.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
According to local news reports, Wallen was arrested after he threw a chair from a sixth-story rooftop bar in Nashville. Two police officers who were standing outside said the chair hit the ground just a few feet away.
In a statement provided to The New York Times, Wallen's lawyer, Worrick Robinson, confirmed his client's arrest and said he is "cooperating fully with authorities."
Wallen was arrested on three felony counts of reckless endangerment, the Times reported. He was also charged with one count of disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor.
He was released after posting bond and received a court date for early May.
Wallen eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless endangerment, per The New York Times. In exchange for his plea agreement — which required seven days at a D.U.I. education center and two years of probation — prosecutors agreed to drop the felony charges.
March 29, 2025: Wallen sparks controversy and confusion with his abrupt exit from "SNL."
Morgan Wallen and Mikey Madison onstage at "SNL."
Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
Wallen booked his second "SNL" gig as a musical guest for March 29, 2025. He performed two songs from his forthcoming album, "I'm the Problem."
As the episode came to a close, Wallen stood beside the host, "Anora" star Mikey Madison, as she delivered the requisite thank-yous. After giving Madison a quick hug, Morgan left the stage and exited the studio, walking right in front of the camera. Per tradition, Madison remained onstage with the "SNL" cast as the credits rolled.
The video clip of Wallen's hasty exit quickly began making the rounds online. Critics interpreted the move as casually disrespectful at best or intentionally rude at worst — chatter that intensified when Wallen shared a photo on his Instagram story, apparently taken from his private jet. He captioned the post, "Get me to God's country."
The following Monday, "SNL" veteran Kenan Thompson shared his confused reaction to Wallen's exit.
"It's definitely a spike in the norm," Thompson told Entertainment Weekly. "We're so used to everybody just turning around and high-fiving us, everybody's saying, 'Good job, good job, good job.' So when there's a departure from that, it's like, hmm, I wonder what that's about?"
"It just felt so abrupt. And it was already such a small grouping on the stage anyway," he continued. "So it was just like, oh wow, that was pretty visible."
Despite speculation, sources in Wallen's camp told Variety that his exit was not intended as a slight or statement — only that he wasn't aware how it would appear on camera.
Representatives for Wallen did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
23andMe announced a reverse stock split in October.
Smith Collection/Gado
A class action lawsuit, resignations, and layoffs plagued 23andMe, which filed for Chapter 11 in March.
Biotech company Regeneron is buying the DNA testing startup's assets for $256 million.
Here's a look at the rise and fall of 23andMe.
23andMe, the startup that helped usher in the era of consumer DNA test kits nearly two decades ago, filed for bankruptcy protection in March after setbacks including a class action lawsuit and data breach.
Now, Regeneron is buying its for $256 million two months after the Chapter 11 filing and resignation of founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki.
Mark Jensen, chair of 23andMe's special committee of directors, said on May 19 the deal "maximizes the value of the business and enables the mission of 23andMe to live on, while maintaining critical protections around customer privacy, choice and consent with respect to their genetic data."
A 23andMe spokesperson said after the Chapter 11 filing that its "mission of helping people live longer, healthier lives through a preventive approach to health, and providing access to potentially life-changing genetic information, hasn't changed."
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the deal announcement.
Here is a timeline of 23andMe's rise and fall:
2006: 23andMe is founded in Silicon Valley
23andMe cofounder Anne Wojcicki.
Kimberly White / Getty Images
23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki co-founded the company in 2006 with biologist Linda Avey and Paul Cusenza, who previously worked at the now-defunct Perlegen Sciences, a biotech startup that studied human genomes.
The company planted roots in Silicon Valley, where other startups like Twitter and YouTube were taking shape at the time.
"The team of three worked out of a small office in Palo Alto, complete with an overcrowded, hardworking computer server room," a company blog post says. "Scientific rigor was top of mind; the co-founders spent their early days meeting with regulators, building a robust advisory committee, and figuring out how to give people direct access to their genetic information."
Avey stepped down as co-president in 2009 and officially left the company in 2011. Cusenza departed in 2007.
2007: 23andMe secures millions in funding from Google
Google cofounder Sergey Brin and Wojcicki married in 2007.
Donald Bowers/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company
23andMe quickly secured funding from several companies, including Google.
A May 2007 SEC filing said Google invested $3.9 million into 23andMe, taking a minority interest. The filing also said Google cofounder Sergey Brin provided millions in interim debt financing to 23andMe.
"Prior to Google's investment in 23andMe, Sergey provided approximately $2.6 million in interim debt financing to 23andMe, which was repaid as part of this financing transaction," the filing said.
The funding coincided with Brin's marriage to Wojcicki that May. The pair, who share two children, divorced in 2015.
2007: 23andMe launched its first product for $999
23andMe began selling its DNA saliva test to consumers in the United States in 2007.
ERIC BARADAT/Getty Images
23andMe launched its first product — a DNA saliva test — for sale in the United States in November 2007.
The company priced the product at $999.
Users could access information about their risk for certain diseases, their ancestry, and their inherited traits. 23andMe provides data to users through a private online account.
"We believe this information provides intriguing insights into an individual's genetics, with the goal of expanding the collective knowledge base by enabling active participation in research," Wojcicki told Reuters at the time.
However, 23andMe's growing popularity didn't come without criticism. Some consumers were concerned about privacy related to their data and whether insurers could access it to deny coverage or discriminate against certain individuals.
A 23andMe spokesperson previously toldBI that user data is not shared with other entities unless given consent.
"Beyond our contracted laboratory, with which we work to process a customer's sample and deliver their results, customer information will not be shared with any other entity unless they provide us with consent to do so," a statement said.
The spokesperson added that 23andMe did not share user data with "employers, insurance companies, law enforcement agencies or any public databases."
2008: Time Magazine named 23andMe's Personal Genome Service its Invention of the Year
Time Magazine named 23andMe's Personal Genome Service its Invention of the Year in 2008.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Despite the privacy concerns, 23andMe began to gain recognition for the work of its researchers. Time Magazine named 23andMe's Personal Genome Service its Invention of the Year in 2008.
"Although 23andMe isn't the only company selling DNA tests to the public, it does the best job of making them accessible and affordable," Time Magazine wrote.
"We are at the beginning of a personal-genomics revolution that will transform not only how we take care of ourselves but also what we mean by personal information," Time wrote. "In the past, only élite researchers had access to their genetic fingerprints, but now personal genotyping is available to anyone who orders the service online and mails in a spit sample."
The company slashed the price of its service from $999 to $399 that same year.
2009: Google makes another multimillion-dollar investment in 23andMe
Google invested in 23andMe on several occasions, including in 2009.
The filing mentions Brin, who was still married to Wojcicki at the time.
"Prior to Google's investment in 23andMe's Series B preferred stock financing, Sergey also invested approximately $10 million in 23andMe's convertible debt financing, which was converted into Series B preferred stock as part of this financing transaction," the filing said.
2010: 23andMe gets its first National Health Institute-funded grant
23andMe secured a grant from the National Health Institute in 2010.
Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
23andMe launched its first National Health Institute-funded study in 2010 after securing a grant, the company announced at the time. Specifically, the company secured an NIH Small Business Innovative Research Grant to "validate our web-based approach to pharmacogenomics research."
"The purpose of this first phase is similar to that of our first research publication: to demonstrate that we can replicate known genetic associations using the web-based survey data volunteered by our customers," 23andMe said in its announcement.
The company would later receive more grants from the NIH, including about $1.4 million in 2014.
That year, 23andMe published its first peer-reviewed study.
2011: 23andMe secures almost $31 million in its third round of funding
23andMe's headquarters in Sunnyvale, California.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The company announced in January 2011 that it raised $31 million during its third round of funding after securing an additional $9 million.
MPM Capital and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation became the newest investors in 23andMe.
2012: 23andMe lowers its price to $99, making the product more accessible
23andMe slashed the price of its product to $99 in 2012, making it more accessible to consumers.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
The company reduced the cost of its service to $299 in May 2012 and again to $99 later that year.
23andMe said in December 2012 that it raised more than $50 million in another round of financing, which would help the company reach its goal of 1 million customers. Investors included Israeli entrepreneur Yuri Milner, Google Ventures, MPM Capital, Brin, and Wojcicki.
At the time, the company only had about 180,000 customers.
"The Series D investment, combined with rapidly decreasing costs associated with genetic testing technologies, enables 23andMe to reduce the price of its Personal Genome Service to $99, effective immediately," the company said.
2013: FDA orders 23andMe to stop marketing its genetic health screening service
The FDA told 23andMe to stop marketing its genetic health screening service in 2013.
Andrew Harnik/AP Photo
23andMe found itself in trouble with the US Food and Drug Administration in 2013.
The FDA instructed 23andMe to stop marketing its genetic health screening service in the United States until it completed the agency's regulatory review process. The company could continue selling its ancestry service.
23andMe complied with the FDA's request, meaning it only provided users with Ancestry reports and raw data.
Wojcicki discussed the FDA's regulation during an appearance at the SXSW festival in 2014.
"It has slowed up the number of people signing up," Wojcicki said, according to The Guardian.
She added: "We are pioneers. We've had a lot of ups and downs but we have lots of tenacity to push on through. It will take time, money, and effort to figure out the path forward."
The company met the FDA's standard in 2015.
"The new 23andMe experience reflected almost two years of work with regulators, our scientists, medical experts, and product designers," the company said. "The result is the first direct-to-consumer test available directly to individuals in the United States that includes reports that meet FDA requirements for being scientifically and clinically valid."
2015: The FDA authorizes 23andMe to market the Bloom syndrome carrier status report
The FDA authorized 23andMe to market its screening test for a rare genetic disorder in 2015.
Reuters/Jason Reed
23andMe continued to evolve its services, and in 2015, the FDA granted authorization to market its screening for Bloom syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, the company said at the time.
"This is also the first time the FDA has granted authorization to market a direct-to-consumer genetic test, and it gives 23andMe a regulatory framework for future submissions," 23andMe said in a blog post.
The FDA authorized additional reports following 2015, including BRCA1 and BRCA2 Select Variants.
2019: 23andMe slashes its workforce as consumers lose interest in DNA test kits
Wojcicki said the consumer DNA test kit industry faced a lull in 2019.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MAKERS
The company had millions of users by 2019, showing significant growth since its launch.
But demand began to wane that year as the 23andMe business model — which relied on one-time tests — faltered.
Wojcicki echoed that sentiment in a comment to Business Insider, saying, "It's a new technology, and I think it's hit a lull."
Wojcicki remained optimistic that the industry would bounce back, but 23andMe announced it was laying off 100 employees in January 2020 as sales were still down.
The CEO told CNBCat the timethat factors like privacy could remain a sore point. Another reason could be consumers' fear of an economic downturn, meaning the somewhat pricey test is less of a priority.
Despite the downturn, 23andMe continued to collect investments.
Wojcicki told Business Insider at the time that her "priority is really the long term."
"The short term is obviously important for a lot of people, but everything that I do is focused on the long term. I've only looked at my stock price because I've been doing the news articles and people keep showing it to me," she said.
Some 23andMe users' accounts were compromised in October 2023.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Concerns about privacy always plagued 23andMe, but those concerns grew after news broke in 2023 that some user data had been compromised.
The data — including birth details and names — was sold on the dark web by hackers.
23andMe confirmed that ancestry data for nearly 7 million users were accessed that December. A data breach notification filing in January 2024 said it took 23andMe five months to realize the data had been accessed.
The incident led to a class action lawsuit, which 23andMe settled for $30 million in September, according to Reuters.
The company also said in SEC filings it laid off more employees in 2023, including that June when it reduced its workforce by 9%. 23andMe laid off another 71 employees in August 2023, according to filings.
2024: 23andMe's board of independent directors resigns
The directors said they disagreed with the company's business strategy but supported its mission.
Kimberly White/Getty
Independent directors on 23andMe's board announced their resignations in a September letter addressed to Wojcicki.
Although the independent directors said they "wholeheartedly support" the company's mission, they took issue with the current business strategy.
"It is also clear that we differ on the strategic direction for the Company going forward," the letter said. "Because of that difference and because of your concentrated voting power, we believe that it is in the best interests of the Company's shareholders that we resign from the Board rather than have a protracted and distracting difference of view with you as to the direction of the Company."
2024: Wojcicki responds to consumer concerns
Wojcicki said she would not consider "third-party takeover proposals."
Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch
The company's reputation took another hit in September when an SEC filing said Wojcicki "would be open to considering third-party takeover proposals."
Wojcicki walked back that consideration in a filing later that month.
"Based on subsequent developments, it has become even clearer to me that the best path forward for the Issuer is for me to take the company private," she said.
"Accordingly, in order to update my prior statement and avoid any confusion in the market, I am no longer open to considering third-party takeover proposals for the Issuer."
However, Wojcicki's remarks about selling the company to a third-party issuer raised consumer concerns about what could happen to their data if a sale did take place.
The Atlantic reported that the sale of 23andMe could also mean the potential sale of user data. The director of cybersecurity at Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit focused on digital privacy, urged users to delete their data in a post that garnered 547,000 views.
A 23andMe spokesperson previously told BI that Wojcicki "has publicly shared she intends to take the company private, and is not open to considering third-party takeover proposals."
The statement added: "Anne has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the company's mission and values, and to its customers, pledging to maintain 23andMe's strong security and privacy policies, including following the intended completion of the acquisition she is pursuing."
2024: The company announces a reverse stock split
23andMe announced a reverse stock split in October.
Smith Collection/Gado
In October, the company announced a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of its Class A and Class B common stock. Reverse stock splits are commonly considered signs of trouble for a company.
2024: restructuring and layoffs
The company said in November it'd lay off 40% of its workforce as part of a restructuring.
Steve Jennings/Getty Images/TechCrunch
23andMe in November announced it was restructuring and laying off more than 200 employees, or roughly 40% of its workforce. It also said it was ending further development of all of its therapeutics programs and "evaluating strategic alternatives" for its clinical and preclinical assets.
"We are taking these difficult but necessary actions as we restructure 23andMe and focus on the long-term success of our core consumer business and research partnerships," Wojcicki said in the announcement.
2025: Bankruptcy filing and Regeneron deal
23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2025.
23andMe
In March 2025, 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, announcing it would continue operating while seeking a buyer.
"After a thorough evaluation of strategic alternatives, we have determined that a court-supervised sale process is the best path forward to maximize the value of the business," chair Mark Jensen said in a press release. It will "advance our efforts to address the operational and financial challenges we face, including further cost reductions and the resolution of legal and leasehold liabilities."
Wojcicki resigned as CEO, effective immediately, but remained on the board. CFO Joe Selsavage took over as interim CEO. The company's stock fell about 50% on the news.
"While I am disappointed that we have come to this conclusion and my bid was rejected, I am supportive of the company and I intend to be a bidder," Wojcicki wrote on X. "I have resigned as CEO of the company so I can be in the best position to pursue the company as an independent bidder."
"We have had many successes but I equally take accountability for the challenges we have today," her post continued. "There is no doubt that the challenges faced by 23andMe through an evolving business model have been real, but my belief in the company and its future is unwavering."
In May 2025, Regeneron announced it was buying 23andMe's assets after winning a bankruptcy auction for $256 million.
"We believe we can help 23andMe deliver and build upon its mission to help people learn about their own DNA and how to improve their personal health, while furthering Regeneron's efforts to improve the health and wellness of many," said Regeneron cofounder and president George Yancopoulos in a press release.
The company promised to "process all customer personal data in accordance with the consents, privacy policies and statements, terms of service, and notices currently in effect and have security controls in place designed to protect such data."
Jonathan Majors leaving the Manhattan Criminal Court on December 15, 2023 in New York City following closing arguments in his domestic violence trial.
John Nacion/Getty Images
Jonathan Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment of his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, in December 2023.
He was promptly dropped from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In April 2024, Majors was sentenced to attend a 52-week domestic violence program in lieu of jail.
Jonathan Majors' once-promising acting career has been marred by controversies.
Majors is known for his Emmy-nominated role as Atticus Freeman in "Lovecraft Country," Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and Damian Anderson in "Creed III." But in recent years, the focus has instead been on his personal life and domestic assault case involving his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Majors was charged with assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and harassment in March 2023. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. In December of that year, he was found guilty of recklessly assaulting and injuring Jabbari and harassing her. He was acquitted of assault with intent to cause injury.
Majors got a no-jail sentence in April 2024 and is now rehabilitating his Hollywood image, starting with his latest film, "Magazine Dreams."
Here's a timeline of Majors' case and controversial moments.
March 25, 2023: Majors is arrested in connection with a 'domestic dispute' in New York City
Jonathan Majors at the world premiere of Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" in February 2023.
Valerine Macon/AFP via Getty Images
Majors' legal woes began on the morning of March 25.
In a statement provided to Business Insider, the NYPD said police responded to a 911 call around 11:14 a.m. in a Manhattan apartment. A "preliminary investigation" found that the actor and a woman, later identified as Majors' ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, were involved in a "domestic dispute."
Majors was arrested on the scene and held on suspicion of strangulation, assault, and harassment after Jabbari told police that she was assaulted, the NYPD told Business Insider.
Police said the woman sustained "minor injuries to her head and neck" and was taken to a local hospital.
According to reports filed with the New York Criminal Court seen by BI, Majors was charged with assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and harassment. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Jabbari was granted a temporary order of protection and Majors was released on his own recognizance.
Majors' criminal defense lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, told BI in a statement that Majors was "the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows." She said she believed the charges would be "dropped imminently."
March 26: Within days, Majors' career begins feeling the fallout
Majors at the Academy Awards in March 2023.
Robyn Beck/Getty Images
The case quickly began affecting Majors' career.
People magazine reported that the US Army pulled two recruitment campaign videos that starred Majors.
The public affairs chief for the Army Enterprise Marketing Office, Laura DeFrancisco, told the outlet that though Majors is considered innocent until proven guilty, "prudence dictates that we pull our ads until the investigation into these allegations is complete."
On April 18, Deadline reported Majors had been dropped by his talent manager Entertainment 360, and his PR firm, The Lede Company.
That same day, Deadline also reported that Majors had been dropped from "The Man in My Basement" and an ad campaign for the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball team and taken out of the running for an Otis Redding biopic he was interested in.
March 30: Majors' team denies the assault and shares text messages purported to be from the victim
Jonathan Majors.
Rich Fury/VF22/Getty Images for Vanity Fair
Later that week, Chaudhry told People in a statement that Majors denied assaulting Jabbari. She also shared text messages with multiplemedia outlets she purported were from Jabbari, however, the messages have not been independently verified.
Chaudry said that on the day of the assault, "the woman sent text messages to Mr. Majors admitting that she was the one who used physical force against him. She also disavowed any allegations that he had done anything to her and confirmed that Mr. Majors called 911 because of her mental condition."
"I reiterated this was not an attack and they do not have my blessing on any charges being placed. I read the paper they gave me about strangulation and I said point blank this did not occur and should be removed immediately," the messages read in part.
May 9: Majors' lawyer calls the case a 'witch hunt' during the first hearing
Majors at Manhattan Criminal Court.
Alan Chin/Insider
During the first hearing on May 9, Business Insider's Laura Italiano reported that Jabbari said Majors pulled her middle finger, "causing bruising, swelling, and substantial pain." She also accused Majors of grabbing her "right arm, [placed] it behind my body, and use his hands to twist my right forearm and right middle finger, causing substantial pain to my right forearm and right middle finger."
Prosecutors also alleged Majors hit the victim with his hand on her right ear and caused a cut, and that he pushed her into a car using both of his hands, causing her to fall backward.
Majors, through his lawyer Chaudhry, maintained his innocence.
"We have provided the District Attorney with irrefutable evidence that the woman is lying, including video proof showing nothing happened, especially not where she claimed," Chaudry said in front of the court, Deadline reported.
She went on to call the case a "witch hunt."
June 20: Majors' lawyer says her client's arrest is 'racist'
Majors leaving Manhattan Criminal Court with actor and girlfriend Meagan Good.
Alan Chin/Business Insider
Majors was joined at Manhattan Criminal Court by his girlfriend, actor Meagan Good.
During Majors' second hearing, Chaudhry spoke to BI's Italiano and allowed Italiano to review police footage from the night of the assault.
Chaudhry said the footage showed the officers questioning among themselves how Majors could afford to live in a luxe penthouse, as they didn't realize he was a famous actor.
Chaudhry told BI that all six of the responding officers were white and said that influenced how the evening's events went down.
"It is heartbreaking that in 2023, a Black man should still be afraid to dial 911, even to save a life," she said.
"The sad truth of this story is that if you are Black man and there is a white woman who needs medical help, you should think twice about calling 911 because chances are, you will be blamed and arrested."
"And everyone—despite proof of the Black man's innocence—will assume he did it," she said. "And no one — despite proof of the white woman's crimes — will prosecute her."
The NYPD did not respond to a request for comment from BI at the time.
June 27: Majors files a cross-complaint against ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari
Per a domestic incident report and affidavit obtained by BI, Majors said a "drunk and hysterical" Jabbari scratched, slapped, and grabbed at his face, causing pain and bleeding.
In the incident report, Majors also accused his ex-girlfriend of running up his credit card without his authorization, returning to her home in London with his iPhone, and "a Rolex vintage watch and other luxury items that cost $6,000 - $7,000."
BI reported a day later that the NYPD had issued a probable cause "investigation card" for Jabbari, authorizing them to arrest Jabbari on suspicion of third-degree assault if she returned to the US.
June 29: Rolling Stone reports former coworkers of Majors alleged the actor became violent
Jonathan Majors.
Jeff Kravitz / Contributor / Getty Images
On June 29, Rolling Stone released the results of a monthslong investigation where anonymous sources alleged Majors abused two women he dated, was violent during his time at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, and had outbursts on the set of his film "Magazine Dreams."
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Majors' attorney, Dustin A. Pusch, denied the allegations.
Majors' team also sent six character witness statements in support of the actor to Rolling Stone from women he'd dated or known.
However, four of the women told the publication that they never gave permission to Majors' attorneys to release those statements. One of the four women told Rolling Stone that the statement attributed to her was pre-written and inaccurate.
Rolling Stone said Haley Carter, who dated Majors from age 13 to 18, was the only one to consent to the statement going public.
"After 20 years of knowing him, I can tell you who Jonathan is. He did not do these things," the statement said.
"Rolling Stone has misrepresented the circumstances under which it was provided written statements from individuals who know Jonathan Majors," the attorneys said in a statement. "The statements were provided to Rolling Stone off the record and not for publication expressly to protect the privacy of the individuals and to make sure they could decide for themselves whether and how to comment, and Rolling Stone was encouraged to reach out to the individuals directly for that purpose."
The attorneys added: "The statements were not manufactured, and there was plainly no intention to misrepresent the opinions of these individuals, each of whom Mr. Majors deeply respects."
October 2: A 'Loki' executive producer said the production was not asked to change the season after Majors' assault case
Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains in "Loki" season one.
Marvel Studios/Disney+
The week of the "Loki" season 2 release, Variety published an interview with the show's executive producer Kevin Wright.
During the interview, they asked the producer if Majors' arrest resulted in any changes to the show.
Wright replied: "No. This is maybe — not maybe — this is the first Marvel series to never have any additional photography. The story that is on screen is the story we set out to make. We went out there with a very specific idea of what we wanted this to be, and we found a way to tell it in that production period. It's very much what's on screen on Disney+."
When asked whether there were any discussions about making changes due to Majors' assault case, Wright added: "No. And that mainly came from — I know as much as you do at the moment. It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out."
October 25: Jabbari is arrested and released the following day
Grace Jabbari after turning herself in to the NYPD on his cross-complaint against her.
Alan Chin/Insider
Jabbari turned herself in to the New York City Police and was charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief following Majors' cross-complaint months earlier.
"It's sad that she had to go through this because she is the victim in this case and she's the survivor," Jabbari's lawyer, Ross Kramer, said outside the NYC police station.
Manhattan prosecutors dropped all charges the following day, saying the case against Jabbari "lacks prosecutorial merit."
October 27: Majors' movie 'Magazine Dreams' is removed from Disney's 2023 release schedule
Jonathan Majors in "Magazine Dreams."
Courtesy Searchlight Pictures
The Searchlight Pictures film, which Majors received praise for at 2023's Sundance Film Festival, was quietly removed from an updated theatrical calendar sent to BI by Walt Disney Studios.
The movie was set for a December 8, 2023 release.
December 6: Jabbari testifies that Majors was worried his career would be ruined if the public learned of his past behavior
Majors at Manhattan Criminal Court.
Alan Chin/Insider
Majors' domestic violence trial began on November 29 and testimony was given for two weeks.
Jabbari told the jury that Majors was angry she told his manager about past behavior, accusing the "Creed III" star of having a temper during their two-year relationship.
She also testified that Majors threatened suicide.
She said Majors told her, "because of the conversation that I had had that he was going to kill himself. That he was a monster."
December 8: Texts between Majors and Jabbari urged her not to seek medical attention
Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari.
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews; AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
"It's just fake," Majors texted Jabbari. "And you have, I fear, no perspective of what could happen if you go to the hospital. They will ask you questions and, as I don't think you can actually protect us, it could lead to an investigation, even if you do lie and they suspect something."
In response, Jabbari texted she would cover for Majors.
"I will tell the doctor that I bumped my head," a text message read to the jury. "If I go I'm going to give it one more day. But I can't sleep and I need some stronger painkillers. Why would I tell them what really happened when it's clear I want to be with you."
December 12: A recording of Majors' 911 call after finding Jabbari unconscious in March is released
Majors in December 2023.
John Nacion/Getty Images
During the four-minute call, which can be heard exclusively on BI, Majors is heard saying he believed Jabbari attempted suicide after finding her on the floor of his Manhattan apartment.
Doctors found no such evidence.
Jabbari was taken to Bellevue Hospital to treat a cut behind her ear and a fractured finger that Majors was accused of causing.
December 18: Majors is found guilty of assault and harassment
Majors in December 2023.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A Manhattan jury found Majors guilty of recklessly assaulting and injuring his ex-girlfriend, Jabbari, and harassing her. He was acquitted of assault with intent to cause injury.
BI's El Calabrese and Haven Oreccio-Egresitz reported that neither Majors nor current his girlfriend, Meagan Good, reacted to the verdict.
December 18: Marvel Studios drops Majors from the MCU
Jonathan Majors as Kang.
Marvel Studios
A Marvel company spokesperson confirmed to BI that Marvel is not moving forward with Majors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The next "Avengers" movie, "Avengers: Doomsday," is set for release in 2026 and will instead pivot to the comic book villain Dr. Doom, played by returning MCU star Robert Downey Jr.
"Yeah, I do. I pray I do," Majors told ABC News in January 2024 in his first interview since he was found guilty of assault and harassment. "But it's God's plan and God's timing."
April 8, 2024: Majors gets a no-jail sentence
Majors was joined at the sentencing hearing by Good, who sat behind him in the courtroom audience. BI reported that Good dabbed at her eyes with her fingers when Judge Michael Gaffey of New York City Criminal Court said he wouldn't be sending Majors to jail.
Instead, Majors was sentenced to attend a 52-week in-person domestic violence program. The judge said he took into account the wishes of prosecutors and Majors' lack of a criminal record in sentencing the star to attend the "batterers intervention" program.
If he fails to attend the program and continue therapy, Majors, a Los Angeles resident, faces up to a year in a New York jail.
The judge also ordered a permanent order of protection barring Majors from contact with Jabbari.
June 21: Majors references his legal controversies while accepting an award at the 2024 Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards
Jonathan Majors at Hollywood Unlocked's Impact Awards on June 21, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Robin L Marshall/Getty Images
"I reckon folks want to know about this last year," Majors said while accepting the perseverance award, People magazine reported. "As a Black man in the criminal justice system, I felt anger. I felt sadness, hurt, surprise."
"We live in a world where men, Black men in particular, are propped up as either superheroes or super villains," the actor added. "But I've come to realize, me personally, I ain't none of that. I'm imperfect. I have shortcomings, I acknowledge them. I love my craft."
Majors gave a shout-out to Good during his speech, and concluded by vowing to "be there for others and to help them win and if their trials come."
November 17: Majors and Meagan Good announce their engagement
Majors and Meagan Good on March 12, 2025, in Hollywood, California.
JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images
The couple confirmed the news to People magazine at the EBONY Power 100 Gala at NYA Studios West in Los Angeles, where Good was seen sporting an engagement ring.
"We're feeling great," Good said.
"It's a season of joy," Majors added.
Good also revealed to E! News that she and Majors met at the same event two years prior.
March 2025: Majors returns to the spotlight to promote his film 'Magazine Dreams,' but his comeback is halted by audio published by Rolling Stone
Majors in "Magazine Dreams."
Briarcliff Entertainment
Majors plays an aspiring bodybuilder named Killian Maddox in "Magazine Dreams," which is distributed through Briarcliff Entertainment and releases in theaters on March 21.
Ahead of the film's release, The Hollywood Reporter published a feature on Majors in which the actor spoke about his trial and the aftermath. Majors said that his plan moving forward is to "have a struggle, learn, metabolize, grow."
Three days later, on March 17, Rolling Stone published an unreleased audio recording of an alleged conversation between Majors and Jabbari. The publication reported that the conversation happened in September 2022, after a "days-long fight" between the then-couple.
"I've never aggressed a woman — I aggressed you," a male voice, reportedly belonging to Majors, says in the audio.
"You strangled me and pushed me against the car," a woman, reportedly Jabbari, replies.
"Yes, all those things are under 'aggressed,' yeah," he responds. "That's never happened to me."
"Because I said something sarcastically, in your eyes?" she asks.
"Well clearly, it's more than that," the man says.
"Something inside of you," she replies.
"Yeah, towards you," he says, as the audio abruptly ends.
Reps for Majors and Jabbari didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean met outside a Nashville laundromat in 1964 and married in 1966.
Dean stayed out of the spotlight, and Parton addressed conspiracy theories that he didn't exist.
After nearly 60 years of marriage, Dean died on March 3 at the age of 82.
Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's husband of nearly six decades, died on March 3 at the age of 82.
Parton and Dean met outside a Tennessee laundromat in 1964 and wed in 1966.
Dean supported Parton's country music career from behind the scenes. He so rarely appeared with her in public that Parton addressed conspiracy theories that he wasn't a real person.
Still, Dean inspired some of Parton's most successful work, such as her mega-hit song "Jolene" and her latest album "Rockstar."
Here's a timeline of their relationship.
1964: Dolly Parton and Carl Dean met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville.
Dolly Parton in 1965.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Dean was driving by in his pickup truck when he saw Dolly Parton and "hollered" at her, she told The New York Times in 1976. She declined his request for a date but invited him over while she was babysitting her nephew the following day.
"He came up every day that week and we sat out on the porch. I wouldn't even take him in the house," she said. "Then my aunt got a day off, and she could keep the kid and that was my first chance to go anywhere with Carl and he drove me straight to his folks' house and introduced me to his mother and daddy. 'Cause he said he knew right the minute he saw me that that's the one he wanted."
At the time, Parton was 18 and Dean was 21.
May 30, 1966: Parton and Dean wed in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean.
dollyparton/Instagram
Parton's record label asked her to wait a year before getting married for the sake of her career, but she and Dean couldn't wait. They went to Georgia so that the event wouldn't be reported in the Tennessee press.
"It was just my mother and Carl and me," she told CMT in 2016. "We went across the state line to Ringgold, Georgia. My mother made me a little white dress and a little bouquet and a little Bible. But I said, 'I can't get married in a courthouse because I'll never feel married.' So we found a little Baptist church in town, and went up to Pastor Don Duvall and said, 'Would you marry us?' We got pictures on the steps right outside the church."
1966: Parton and Dean attended their first — and last — red carpet event together.
Dolly Parton circa 1970.
Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
Parton received her first songwriting award at 20 years old for "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" recorded by Bill Phillips, winning BMI's Song of the Year. She and Dean walked the red carpet and attended the dinner and award ceremony, but it wasn't Dean's style.
"After the dinner, we walked back out, and they brought us our car — I don't even remember what we were driving then — and we got in it and headed for home," Parton told audiences at the Marty Stuart Jam in 2011, The Boot reported. "Carl turned to me and said, 'Dolly, I want you to have everything you want, and I'm happy for you, but don't you ever ask me to go to another one of them dang things again!'"
September 1969: Dean made a rare appearance on the cover of Parton's fourth album, "My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy."
The album cover of "My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy."
Amazon
"My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy" reached No. 6 on the US Top Country Albums charts.
Beyond this image, there are few public photos of the couple.
October 1973: Parton released the song "Jolene," which she says was inspired by a bank teller who was crushing on her husband.
Album cover for "Jolene" by Dolly Parton, released in 1974.
Donaldson Collection/Getty Images
"She got this terrible crush on my husband," Parton told NPR in 2008. "And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, 'Hell, you're spending a lot of time at the bank. I don't believe we've got that kind of money.' So it's really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one."
August 2012: Parton auctioned off a tour of Nashville sites from her history for charity, including the spot on Wedgewood Avenue where she and Dean met.
Wedgewood Avenue in Nashville.
Google Maps
The auction benefited the Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation, which expands access to quality healthcare in Sevier County. The foundation is named for the physician who delivered Parton, and she serves as its honorary chairperson.
May 30, 2016: Parton and Dean renewed their vows for their 50th wedding anniversary, and Dean released his first public statement for the occasion.
Dolly Parton at the Country Music Awards.
John Shearer/WireImage/Getty Images
"I got all dressed up in the most beautiful gown you've ever seen and dressed that husband of mine up. He looked like a handsome dude out of Hollywood," she told Rolling Stone in 2016. "We had a few family and friends around. We didn't plan anything big at all because we didn't want any kind of strain, any kind of tension, any kind of commotion, so we planned it cleverly and carefully. We just had a simple little ceremony at our chapel at our place."
In his first public statement in honor of their 50th anniversary, Dean also expressed his love for Parton.
"My first thought was, 'I'm gonna marry that girl,'" Dean said in a statement of the moment they met, Entertainment Tonight reported. "My second thought was, 'Lord she's good lookin'.' And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."
August 2016: Parton wrote an album of love songs inspired by her relationship with Dean called "Pure and Simple."
Dolly Parton during her Pure and Simple Tour.
Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
"I was just trying to think about all the different colors of love through the years," Parton told Rolling Stone. "I thought, 'Well I'm going to write about mine and Carl's relationship. It's just a pure and simple relationship,' so it started with that and then I thought, 'Well why don't I just write a whole album of love songs?'"
December 2018: Parton joked about her husband's crush on Jennifer Aniston on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."
Dolly Parton on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NBC
Parton and Aniston worked together on the Netflix movie "Dumplin,'" with Parton writing six original songs for the soundtrack.
"I love her to death," she said of Aniston. "My husband is crazy about her. And he was more excited that I was gonna do a movie with her than he was that I got the chance to write all this music."
October 2020: Parton addressed conspiracy theories that her husband doesn't actually exist since he's never seen in public.
Dolly Parton flies solo on red carpets.
David Crotty/Contributor/Getty Images
Parton confirmed that Dean, a retired businessman, is a real person, despite rumors of him being imaginary.
"A lot of people have thought that through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all," Parton told Entertainment Tonight. "It's just not who he is. He's like, a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he'd never get a minute's peace and he's right about that."
Parton said that they each value their independence, and that Dean values his privacy and has no interest in fame.
"I've always respected and appreciated that in him and I've always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can," she said. "He said, 'I didn't choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.' And we do and we have. We've been together 56 years, married 54."
July 2021: Parton recreated her 1978 Playboy cover for her husband's birthday.
Dolly Parton was on the cover of Playboy at 32 years old.
Harry Langdon/Contributor/Getty Images ; Dolly Parton/Instagram
Parton shared a video of herself on Instagram in a black bustier and pink-and-white collar with a bow tie.
"Hey!" Parton said in the video. "You're probably wondering why I'm dressed like this. Well, it's for my husband's birthday."
She said that Dean had always loved her original Playboy cover, so to "make him happy" on his birthday, she decided to get a duplicate outfit and set up her own photo shoot.
"He still thinks I'm a hot chick after 57 years," she said. "And I'm not gonna try and talk him out of that."
October 2021: Parton told W magazine that she and Dean "don't argue" and that she fell for him instantly.
Dolly Parton.
Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
In the interview, Parton discussed her time working with country star and duet partner Porter Wagoner.
"My husband and I don't argue, but Porter and I did nothing but fight. It was a love-hate relationship," she told W magazine's Lynn Hirschberg.
November 2021: Parton shared a rare old photo of her and Dean on Instagram.
Dolly Parton and her husband Carl Dean.
dollyparton/Instagram
The vintage photo appeared to have been edited to show Dean wearing a shirt from Parton's line of merchandise available on her website.
"Find you a partner who will support you like my Carl Dean does!" Parton captioned the post.
February 2022: Parton said that fried chicken is the one dish everyone should know how to make for a successful marriage.
Dolly Parton.
Sebastian Smith
"You can't go wrong with fried chicken," Parton told Business Insider's Anneta Konstantinides. "I think everybody should really know how to make good fried chicken. No matter where people come from, they love good fried chicken. So you need to make good fried chicken!"
Parton said she also makes him pork chops with green peas and mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy, or chicken and dumplings — her specialty.
"A lot of people like my chicken and dumplings," she said. "I'm pretty famous for that. Carl likes all my cooking. But he, like the rest of them, especially likes the chicken and dumplings."
March 2022: Parton initially said she would turn down her nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but she said Dean has encouraged her to make a rock album.
"Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don't feel that I have earned that right," she said in a statement. "I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out."
She added, "This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock 'n' roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do! My husband is a total rock 'n' roll freak, and has always encouraged me to do one."
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame declined Parton's request to be removed from the ballot, saying in a statement, in part, "In addition to her incredible talent as an artist, her humility is another reason Dolly is a beloved icon by millions of fans around the world."
In April, she changed her tune and said she would accept the honor, if she was voted in.
"I'll accept gracefully. I'll just say 'Thanks' and I will accept it because the fans vote," she told NPR's "Morning Edition."
In May 2022, it was announced she had indeed been voted in.
November 2022: Parton was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and she said her next album would be a tribute to Dean's love of the genre.
Dolly Parton at her Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
In a red-carpet interview with E! News at her induction ceremony, Parton said that her upcoming album would feature some of Dean's favorite rock songs.
"We have a lot of favorite songs," she said. "He loves rock 'n' roll, he loves Led Zeppelin and he loves 'Stairway to Heaven.' So I'm going to do a lot of things like that for him."
November 2023: Parton released "Rockstar," her 49th studio album, inspired by Dean's love of rock ‘n’ roll.
Dolly Parton at a press conference for her album "Rockstar."
Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
The album featured duets with artists including Sting, Stevie Nicks, Steven Tyler, and Joan Jett. "Rockstar" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart and became her best-selling album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991.
March 2025: Dean died at the age of 82.
Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, died at 82.
Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
Dean's death was announced in a post on Parton's social media on March 3.
"Carl and I spent many wonderful years together," Parton wrote in the post. "Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."
The post shared that Dean would be "laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending."
On Wednesday, Christina Haack posted an Instagram photo with her new boyfriend.
She was first reported to be dating Christopher Larocca in January.
Haack is divorcing Josh Hall and was previously married to Tarek El Moussa and Ant Anstead.
Seven months after her split from Josh Hall, Christina Haack went Instagram official with her new love interest.
In July 2024, Haack and Hall filed for divorce in Orange County, citing irreconcilable differences. They had been married for less than three years when they split.
Hall was Haack's third husband. She was previously married to Tarek El Moussa, her longtime "Flip or Flop" costar, and Ant Anstead, another HGTV personality. And on Wednesday, Haack posted a photo with her new boyfriend, Christopher Larocca.
Business Insider broke down Haack's romantic history, from marrying El Moussa pre-fame to her split with Hall.
2009: Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa got married.
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack got married in 2009.
Jerod Harris/Stringer
Haack and El Moussa met in the early 2000s when they were working together at a real-estate office in California.
The network signed the couple for a show in 2012, and episodes started airing in 2013.
2015: Haack gave birth to their son.
They had a son.
HGTV
Haack and El Moussa struggled to conceive their second child, so she underwent IVF treatment, as People reported.
After suffering a miscarriage, Haack got pregnant again and gave birth to a son in 2015, Brayden James El Moussa.
December 2016: El Moussa and Haack announced they were separating.
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack separated in 2016.
Alexander Tamargo / Contributor / Getty Images
In May 2016, police went to the couple's home because of "a call of a possibly suicidal male with a gun," TMZ reported at the time. El Moussa was seen running from his home with a firearm, which he dropped after police told him from a helicopter to release it, the outlet reported.
Seven months later, El Moussa and Haack announced their separation, acknowledging the incident in a statement to Us Weekly.
"Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage," the statement said. "We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago, and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution."
"There was no violence, and no charges were filed. We chose to get counseling to sort out our relationship. Together, we have decided to separate while we reevaluate the future of our marriage," the statement went on to say.
El Moussa reflected on the incident in his 2024 book, "Flip Your Life," writing that he took his gun with him on a hike because of wildlife in the area after an argument with Haack, though that was not clear to Haack when she saw him hop their fence with the weapon in tow.
"That was the very last time we were together as a family: with Christina walking down the driveway, crying, and me sitting there in handcuffs, asking myself, 'What in the world is going on?'"he wrote of the incident, adding that he was taking testosterone at the time. He quit the next day and ended up living in a halfway house shortly after.
"I didn't even realize how obsessed I was with my kids until I hit rock bottom, until I was on my own, until I started rebuilding my life," he told BI.
"I wasn't present. I wasn't putting in the work," he added. "I wasn't putting in the time that I put into flipping houses. I needed to put that time into being a dad."
October 2017: Haack started dating Ant Anstead.
Ant Anstead and Christina Haack in 2019.
Noel Vasquez / Contributor / Getty Images
Before her divorce from El Moussa was finalized, a mutual friend introduced Haack and "Wheelers and Dealers" star Ant Anstead, as House Beautiful reported. Like Haack, Anstead had two children from a previous marriage.
They initially kept their relationship private and only revealed they started dating in October on their first anniversary.
January 1, 2018: Haack and Anstead went public with their relationship.
They announced they were a couple.
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
Haack announced she and Anstead were dating with a casual photo of the duo biking on her Instagram that has since been deleted, as People reported.
She congratulated him on his new season of "Wheelers and Dealers" in the post.
January 22, 2018: El Moussa and Haack's divorce was finalized.
The divorce was finalized.
HGTV
A representative for the former couple confirmed to Page Six that the divorce was finalized.
The exes decided to keep filming "Flip or Flop" together.
December 22, 2018: Haack and Anstead got married.
They said 'I do' at their home.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Discovery Channel
Anstead and Haack didn't announce their engagement before their wedding, though Anstead did say they were "celebrating something special" in the caption of a photo of Haack that he posted on December 17, according to People.
They got married at their house in Newport Beach, California.
"We pulled off the perfect surprise wedding," Haack told People at the time.
March 22, 2019: Haack and Anstead announced they were expecting a baby.
Christina Haack announced she was pregnant on Instagram.
Her ex, El Moussa, later accidentally announced the baby's gender during an appearance on TMZ Live.
A representative for Haack and Anstead then confirmed the news to People in a statement. "While Christina and Ant wished they could have shared the news themselves, they are very excited to welcome a baby boy in the fall," they said.
September 2019: Haack gave birth to her third child.
They had a son.
Jerod Harris/Getty Images
In another now-deleted Instagram, Haack announced that she and Anstead had welcomed their son, Hudson London, according to People.
"Ant and I are so excited to welcome Hudson London Anstead into the world. Our hearts are SO full of love and joy," she captioned the post at the time.
Haack also documented Taylor and Brayden meeting their brother for the first time in her docuseries, "Christina on the Coast."
September 2020: Haack and Anstead announced they were separating.
A post shared by ant anstead (@ant_anstead)
A year after they had Hudson, Haack announced she and Anstead were separating in an Instagram post that has since been deleted.
"Ant and I have made the difficult decision to separate. We are grateful for each other and as always, our children will remain our priority," she said in the statement, according to People. "We appreciate your support and ask for privacy for us and our family as we navigate the future."
Anstead also posted about the separation on his Instagram, seeming to indicate that Haack decided to end the marriage.
"Anyone who really knows me knows that I don't like to share private matters publicly. I have remained silent while holding on to hope," he captioned a selfie of the pair. "I never gave up on us. I pray Christina's decision brings her happiness."
Early 2021: She started dating Josh Hall.
Josh Hall and Christina Haack in July 2023.
Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Sometime in early 2021, Haack started dating Austin-based real-estate agent Josh Hall. According to US Weekly, the pair initially met at a real-estate conference a few years before they became involved.
The couple kept the relationship quiet, and it's unclear exactly when they started dating. But in March 2022, Haack confirmed they had been dating since at least March 2021 with a throwback photo of the pair on Instagram that has since been deleted.
June 2021: Haack and Anstead's divorce was finalized.
They officially divorced.
Noel Vasquez / Contributor / Getty Images
A representative for Haack confirmed the marriage was officially over to USA Today.
July 6, 2021: Haack and Hall were spotted in public together for the first time.
Josh and Christina Haack in July 2023.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Page Six published photos of the couple at LAX on their way to Mexico.
Haack posted a now-deleted photo of herself and Hall on Instagram later that day, confirming the relationship and critiquing the media's focus on her love life.
"I met Josh when I wasn't in a state of fear or fight-or-flight," she wrote. "When we met this past spring, the synchronicities hit us so hard and fast they were impossible to ignore. I felt immediately crazy protective over him and wanted to keep him for myself and get to know each other before the tornado (media attention) hit."
"We decided whats in the past, is in the past. We aren't looking at all the nonsense online," she added. "So yes 'another relationship' and guess what. I'm 38 – I'll do what I want."
September 2021: Haack announced she and Hall were engaged.
Christina Haack in 2019.
David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images
Haack announced the engagement with a series of Instagram photos from a trip the couple took to Mexico, which have since been deleted.
April 2022: Haack and Hall revealed they tied the knot.
Christina Haack, Josh Hall, and her children in January 2023.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Feld Entertainment
E! News initially reported that the couple got married in a "private ceremony" on April 5, 2022. Business Insider was able to confirm their marriage separately.
Haack also changed her Instagram name from "Christina Haack" to "Christina Hall."
E! News reported that Haack's real-estate license had also been changed to "Christina Hall."
April 28, 2022: Anstead filed for full custody of Hudson.
In his court filing, which BI reviewed, Anstead said he was Hudson's "primary parent" and that Haack only spent an average of "9 full days each month" with their son.
He also said that Haack had put Hudson in "dangerous" situations, including a sunburn so severe it made him cry.
On another occasion, Anstead said Haack returned Hudson to him without telling him her family had COVID.
"At the time, my partner was filming her new project and her covid diagnosis placed the whole production on pause," he said in the filing, referring to his current girlfriend, Renée Zellweger.
Anstead also said in the filing that Haack used her time with Hudson to post him on social media, sometimes for sponsored content. Anstead requested that a judge block Haack from posting Hudson in any "commercial endeavor" until they reached a new custody agreement.
Anstead requested a "regular" custody schedule that would give Haack visitation rights on "alternating weekends, Friday at 4 p.m. until Sunday at 6 p.m. commencing May 6, 2022, in California only, and except for vacations," according to the court documents.
"This will allow Christina's time to be stepped-up over the next several months to match the schedule she has with her other children," the filing said.
Anstead declined to comment on the matter when contacted by BI.
April 28, 2022: Haack rebuked Anstead's claims in a statement to BI.
Haack spoke out against the order.
Rodin Eckenroth / Stringer / Getty Images
"What Ant is doing deeply saddens me," Haack said. "If this was really about Hudson, as he says, this should have been handled privately with a private judge or mediation, as myself and my attorney have suggested."
"I have had my share of ups and downs, but I am a good mom and I love my children with all my heart and I will always protect them," she added.
A judge denied Anstead's ex parte custody application on April 28, both because he did not give Haack enough notice and he did not provide sufficient evidence that Hudson was in danger, according to People.
Haack also filed a response to Anstead's motion on April 29, which BI reviewed. She said she was "shocked" by the filing and that Anstead was "misleading" the court regarding their custody arrangement.
"Mr. Anstead has now taken the position that he is the defacto primary parent of our son, which is not accurate," she said in the filing. "Anstead does not count any day wherein we exchange our son as a custodial day for me. He also counts days where I made an accommodation or gave a right of first refusal to him as his day."
"That is why there is a huge discrepancy in his mind from our accurate schedule. His attempt to mislead the court is transparent when presented with the true facts," Haack also said. "I do not count my accommodations as decreasing my custodial time, but as me being a supportive coparent."
Representatives for Haack and Anstead did not respond to a request for comment from BI on the filing.
May 9, 2022: Haack and Tarek El Moussa's wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, were photographed arguing at Brayden's soccer game.
Christina Haack and Heather Rae El Moussa had a public argument.
Allen Berezovsky / Contributor / Michael Tran / Contributor / Getty Images
Tarek El Moussa married Heather Rae El Moussa in October 2021, and she quickly became a huge part of his life and his children's lives.
But she did not seem to immediately get along with Haack. The Daily Mail published photos of Tarek El Moussa appearing to pull the former "Selling Sunset" star away from Haack during an argument at Brayden's soccer game on May 9, 2022. The same article also featured photos of Hall and Tarek El Moussa arguing and being separated by a coach.
Haack shared on her Instagram story that Brayden's surgery went well, adding that the experience was a "wake-up call" for her. She tagged Hall and the El Moussas in the post.
"Stressful 24 hours but a good reminder how important team work / co-parenting is," she wrote on her story. "We are all under pressure but when it really matters we were all there for Brayden doing our part."
"Sometimes a scary situation can be a good wake up call," she said. "In the end all the other stuff is just 'noise,' what matters is the kids."
Heather Rae El Moussa echoed the sentiment in a selfie with Brayden and her husband that she shared on Instagram, in which she tagged Hall and Haack.
"We all pulled together as a family during this stressful time," she wrote. "The kids will always be the main priority to all of us."
September 4, 2022: Haack revealed that she and Hall had a second wedding in Maui, Hawaii.
Christina Haack and Josh Hall had a wedding ceremony in Hawaii.
Christina Hall/Instagram
In an Instagram post that has since been deleted, Haack revealed she and Hall got married in September 2022 in front of their loved ones, including her children.
"Shared vows in front of family and our close friends," she captioned the post. "Everything in life has led me to where I am right now, which is exactly where I want to be."
"My dream man on the dreamiest island," she added. "Maui holds a special place in my heart. What an amazing night filled with love."
November 18, 2022: Haack and Anstead resolved their custody issues.
The former spouses were locked in a custody battle for months.
Michael Kovac / Contributor / Getty Images
After a monthslong custody battle, during which both accused the other of "exploiting" Hudson throughout their legal fight, Haack and Anstead were finally able to resolve their issues and retain joint custody in November 2022.
Representatives for Haack and Anstead declined to comment on the matter when contacted by BI.
May 15, 2024: HGTV announced that the El Moussas, Haack, and Hall would star in a new show together.
On May 15, 2024, HGTV shared a promo video for a new show called "The Flip Off," starring the El Moussas, Haack, and Hall.
The caption said the show would pit the two couples against each other in "a battle to see who can find, buy, renovate, and flip a house for the biggest financial gain."
"Be on the lookout for the spicy new series that'll have you saying, 'What the flip?!'" the caption said.
July 16, 2024: Hall filed for divorce from Haack.
Josh Hall and Christina Haack in July 2023.
Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage/Getty Images
According to paperwork reviewed by BI, Hall filed for divorce in Orange County, California, on July 12, 2024. He listed his date of separation from Haack as July 8. The documents said that he was seeking spousal support from Haack.
Hall's filing also listed the date of their marriage as October 6, 2021, five months earlier than the April 5, 2022, date originally believed to be the day they got married.
Haack submitted her own request to dissolve their marriage on July 23, 2024, and her request listed their separation date as July 7, one day earlier than Hall's paperwork.
Hall and Haack's divorce proceedings are ongoing. The exes have disagreed about ownership of properties in Tennessee and spousal support. You can read more about Haack and Hall's divorce here.
December 12, 2024: HGTV confirmed Haack competed on "The Flip Off" without Hall.
Christina Haack competed on "The Flip Off" alone.
HGTV
In a press release shared with BI, HGTV shared that Haack started the competition for "The Flip Off" with Hall but ultimately competed against the El Moussas solo after their split.
Speaking to BI in January 2025, Haack said she thinks it was a "major advantage" that she didn't have to collaborate with Hall on the show because he was inexperienced with house flipping and real estate compared to her.
"I think that without him, it's just easier," she said.
January 13, 2025: Hall hard-launched his new relationship.
Josh Hall and Stephanie Gabrys.
Josh Hall/Instagram
Hall posted a photo of himself with Stephanie Gabrys sitting on his lap on his Instagram story in January. He captioned the post, "Happy 35th to this real life 😇."
On her Instagram, Gabrys says she is a model who lives in Florida, Chicago, and Nashville.
She has not posted a photo of Hall on her Instagram grid, but Gabrys commented on a post Hall made on January 1, writing, "Proud of you and the strong, patient, hard working, generous, and kind hearted man you are! 2025 is going to be the best year yet!"
January 21, 2025: "The Flip Off" premiered, spotlighting tension between Haack and Hall.
The episode also included a tense conversation between the then-couple in a car, during which Hall called Haack "rude" after she didn't understand a reference he made to a billboard, adding that he wished she would "shut up" and that she was "pissing" him off.
Haack told producers Hall had been "a bit moody lately" when speaking of the conversation.
"Josh knows that Tarek and I have a history," she said. "I'm sure some of it is the stress of the competition."
Hall abruptly stopped appearing in the episode after their split happened off-screen.
Hall shared a sneak peek clip of the interaction to his Instagram story ahead of the premiere, writing that it was "manufactured drama." In response, Haack shared a photo of herself crying after a day of filming with Hall.
January 21, 2025: Haack also told her first ex-husband about her divorce on "The Flip Off."
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack.
HGTV
The first episode of "The Flip Off" also included an emotional conversation between Haack and El Moussa. She shared with him that she and Hall had split after a "blowup over nothing."
"Things with Josh have been bad for a long time. Not just kinda bad, like bad," Haack said on the show. "The kids literally asked me to leave. They told me he's not nice to me."
"You make him very insecure," she said to her ex. "Every time we would barely joke at soccer or if I laughed at you, he, like, would not speak to me for two to three days. I would get the silent treatment."
"He doesn't like me," Haack said of Hall. "He calls me cocky. He thinks I'm arrogant when we both know I'm not cocky or arrogant. I just do work."
February 5, 2025: Haack posted a photo of her new boyfriend on her Instagram.
Christina Haack has a new boyfriend.
HGTV
On January 11, People reported that Haack was dating Christopher Larocca. According to the company's website, Larocca is the president and CEO of Network Connex and has worked in the business world for over two decades. He also has an MBA from the University of Southern California.
On Wednesday, she posted photos of herself and some friends on a private jet with the caption, "Some plane flights must be hard posted."
Haack included two photos of herself with Larocca in the post and tagged him. In one shot, they sit together in a plane seat, and in another, they have their arms wrapped around each other in front of the jet.
Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky at the 2025 Grammys.
Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Lady Gaga has been dating Michael Polansky, investor and CEO of the Parker Group, since 2019.
The couple got engaged in April 2024, though Gaga didn't confirm the news until September 2024.
Polansky is credited as a songwriter and executive producer on Gaga's new album, "Mayhem."
Lady Gaga recently declared, "The missing piece in my life was having real love."
The pop star was referring to her fiancé and partner of five years, investor and entrepreneur Michael Polansky.
The duo was first seen showing PDA on New Year's Eve in 2019. When the video appeared on Twitter, Gaga's fans scrambled to identify Polansky, CEO of the Parker Group, and learn more information about the star's new beau. The couple, who were introduced by Gaga's mother, have been together ever since.
These days, when Gaga performs at major events — from President Joe Biden's inauguration to the Paris Olympics — Polansky is often waiting in the wings. Here's everything we know about their relationship.
Claudia Willen contributed to an earlier version of this story.
December 2019: Gaga and Polansky meet at Sean Parker's 40th birthday party.
Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, attended a gala in 2019.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for National Board of Review
It's been widely reported that Gaga and Polansky were introduced by Sean Parker, the founder of Napster and cofounder of Facebook. (Polansky attended Harvard at the same time as Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's more famous cofounder. Polansky and Parker are longtime associates.)
However, Gaga revealed they actually met through her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, who runs Gaga's mental health nonprofit. According to Vogue, Germanotta and Polansky originally crossed paths by "philanthropic overlap."
"My mom met him and she said to me, 'I think I just met your husband,' and I said, 'I'm not ready to meet my husband!'" Gaga told the magazine. "I could never have imagined that my mom…found the most perfect person for me?"
"So I went to the party and I kept asking for him and he finally came over to me and we talked for three hours. We had the most amazing conversation," Gaga told Vogue.
"I didn't know much about her and honestly wasn't sure what to expect," Polansky added. "I was struck immediately by her warmth and openness — she was so genuinely curious about what my life was like growing up in Minnesota."
December 31, 2019: Gaga and Polansky are seen together for the first time on New Year's Eve.
Gaga in a selfie shared on December 19, 2019.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
Gaga and Polansky welcomed the new year with a midnight kiss while attending a party in Las Vegas, as seen in a video shared on X (then Twitter) by Las Vegas Review columnist John Katsilometes.
Fans waited outside the building in the hopes of snagging a glimpse of the singer. They eventually saw Gaga exiting the building with Polansky, who was holding her hand the entire time.
At this point, people weren't sure who the businessman was, and the relationship was shrouded in mystery. Many outlets referred to Polansky as Gaga's "mystery man."
January 31, 2020: They are spotted cuddling on a balcony in Miami.
Gaga shared this photo with Polansky on Instagram in February 2020.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
Gaga was in Miami to perform at the AT&T TV Super Saturday Night show. In her downtime, the singer lounged on a balcony with Polansky, where they were spotted kissing.
After photos of the couple surfaced online, Us Weekly identified Gaga's new love interest as Polansky.
A source told E! News that Gaga "has been dating the same guy for over a month. They've been seeing other since before the holidays and she's crazy about him."
The source also confirmed that Polansky spent New Year's Eve with the singer as "they had already been seeing each other for weeks" at that point.
February 2, 2020: Polansky and Gaga attend the Super Bowl together.
The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020.
REUTERS/Marco Bello
The day after Gaga performed at the AT&T TV Super Saturday Night show, she and Polansky watched the Super Bowl together from a box at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
February 3, 2020: Gaga shares an Instagram photo of herself cuddled up with Polansky.
Polansky and Gaga in Miami.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
After paparazzi photos and fan videos surfaced from the couple's time in Florida, Gaga shared her own memory from the trip on Instagram. In the photo, she's sitting on Polansky's lap with his arms wrapped around her.
"We had so much fun in Miami. Love to all my little monsters and fans, you're the best!" she captioned the photo.
February 15, 2020: They spend Valentine's Day together.
Polansky and Gaga spent Valentine's Day together in 2020.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
Gaga shared a close-up selfie of herself with Polansky on Instagram the day after the holiday.
"Happy Valentine's Day!! 'Babe, do I have lipstick all-over me?'" Gaga wrote in the caption, adding a crying-while-laughing emoji. "Happy v-day to all my monsters!!! I love you!!!"
March 18, 2020: A source says their relationship is "getting serious."
"I've got a STUPID love," Gaga captioned this photo with Polansky.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
After Gaga's split from talent agent Christian Carino in February 2019, the singer reportedly wanted to take things slow, a source told Entertainment Tonight. And while her intention was to keep things light with Polansky, they were "getting serious," according to the source.
"Gaga is really getting serious with her boyfriend and the chemistry is undeniable. At first she wanted to keep it low key and quiet because she had just gotten out of a relationship and thought taking it slow would be good, but they had an immediate connection, so it was tough to keep under wraps. They were spending so much time together, she finally decided to post on Instagram to make it official," the source said.
They added that she "wasn't expecting to get so involved so quickly" but "started telling her friends she was completely in love with him."
"Anyone that has spent any time with them can see the connection. They are completely smitten. Her friends haven't seen her this happy in years," the source said, adding, "It didn't take long for her friends to adore him too."
While both the businessman and the musician both have packed calendars, the source explained that they're "supportive" of each other's schedules.
"He can often work remotely so even travels with her," the source said.
March 18, 2020: Gaga says that the couple is isolating together during the pandemic.
Gaga and Polansky in a selfie shared on March 18, 2020.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
Shortly after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency due to COVID-19, Gaga shared a selfie of herself with Polansky on Instagram.
"Day 6 of self-quarantining!" she wrote in her caption. "Going strong, playing video games and cards, and taking care of ourselves."
Gaga also encouraged her fans to stay home to help prevent the spread of the virus. "Important reminder: keep your mind as stress free as possible and your body moving," she wrote. "It's ok and so wonderful to stay home if you can! What a kind act for the world."
A source told Entertainment Tonight that Gaga and Polansky thought self-isolating together was "the right thing to do."
"It's given them time to spend together and focus on one another without work or any other distractions," the source said.
Years later, Polansky said they spent the time "taking walks, making coffee, hanging out with the dogs, reading books together." He described it as an "amazing chapter of a weird kind of normalcy."
March 28, 2020: A source says that they're "opposites" but that Gaga is "really into him."
Gaga shared this photo with Polansky on Instagram in March 2020.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
"She's really into him!" a source told E! News, adding that they "are opposites of each other, which all-around is a good thing for her."
The source also said that the businessman "cares a lot about Gaga."
April 17, 2020: Gaga refers to Polansky as "the love of my life" during an interview.
Lady Gaga spoke about mental health during the pandemic on "Morning Joe."
MSNBC
On an episode of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Gaga spoke about prioritizing mental health during the pandemic with hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. During the interview, she nonchalantly referred to Polansky as "the love of my life."
"With Born This Way Foundation, my mother, Cynthia Germanotta, and our cofounder Maya, who I love so very much, they are working with my, the love of my life, on something for mental health," Gaga said.
April 18, 2020: Polansky helps Gaga fundraise for the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Bo O'Connor, Lady Gaga, and Michael Polansky in a photo shared on Instagram.
Lady Gaga/Instagram
Gaga raised $35 million in seven days for the WHO's global coronavirus response fund by calling philanthropists and corporate leaders. In an Instagram post, Gaga revealed that Polansky helped her fundraising efforts.
"With some of my co-fundraisers @booconnor @michaelpolansky #oneworld #togetherathome," she wrote on Instagram. Gaga tagged Polansky's Instagram account, which is private.
January 20, 2021: They attend President Joe Biden's inauguration together.
Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky at the inauguration.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Getty Images
As The New York Times reported, Gaga had long-standing ties to Biden before she endorsed him for president in 2020. After he was elected, she accepted an invitation to perform at his inauguration in Washington, DC.
The businessman attended to support Gaga, and photographers even captured a photo of the couple kissing with their masks on. Gaga later shared the image on her Instagram, adding a dove emoji in the caption.
2022: Polansky joins Gaga on the road for the Chromatica Ball tour.
Lady Gaga performs during the Chromatica Ball in Los Angeles.
Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for Live Nation
After pandemic restrictions had lifted, Gaga went on a two-month global tour to promote her 2020 album "Chromatica."
The Chromatica Ball kicked off in Germany on July 17, 2022, and wrapped up in Miami on September 17, 2022. We later learned that Polansky joined Gaga on the road.
"Michael and I did that tour together," Gaga told Vogue. "I did it pain-free! I haven't smoked pot in years. I've, like, changed."
"On the 'Chromatica' tour, I saw a fire in her," Polansky added. "I wanted to help her keep that alive all the time and just start making music that made her happy."
April 2024: Gaga and Polansky quietly get engaged after a day of rock climbing.
According to interviewer Jonathan Van Meter, the couple officially got engaged a few months earlier, in April, after a low-key day spent rock climbing.
"Today has been so special — I can't remember a time I was so happy on my bday. I am in love with my best friend, my family and friends are loving and kind and healthy," she wrote.
July 2024: Gaga calls Polansky her fiancé at the Paris Olympics.
Gaga and Polansky at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Gaga performed at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on the bank of the River Seine. She sang a French circus tune, "Mon Truc en Plumes," in a cabaret-inspired routine.
After the ceremony, Gaga and Polansky met with French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who shared a clip of their brief interaction on TikTok.
In the short video, Gaga introduces Polansky as "my fiancé" while Attal shakes his hand.
September 4, 2024: They make their red carpet debut at the "Joker: Folie à Deux" premiere.
Polansky and Gaga on the "Joker: Folie à Deux" red carpet.
Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
Polansky accompanied Gaga to the Venice International Film Festival premiere of "Joker: Folie à Deux," in which Gaga costars as Lee, an unhinged fan of Joker who becomes Harley Quinn.
The couple walked the red carpet together holding hands.
September 2024: Gaga opens up about their relationship in a wide-ranging interview.
Gaga and Polansky at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
Jacopo Raule/FilmMagic
The aforementioned Vogue cover story included details about Gaga's relationship with Polansky that were previously unknown to the public.
Gaga told the magazine that she and Polansky fell in love after just one date. When the pandemic hit, and social-distancing guidelines were introduced, Polansky moved from San Franciso to Malibu in order to be with her.
"It was really kind of special," Gaga said. "I'd been so focused on my career since I was a teenager. And the gift of that time was that I got to completely focus on my relationship. I met this totally supportive, loving human being who wanted to get to know me — outside of Lady Gaga."
Gaga gushed about Polansky throughout the interview, describing him as "so smart and so kind," as well as protective of their personal life.
"He's a very private guy and he's not with me for any other reason than that we are right for each other," she said. But I think what I want my fans to know is that I'm just, like, so happy."
February 2, 2025: Gaga thanks Polansky at the Grammys.
Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky at the 2025 Grammys.
Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Gaga and Polansky attended the 2025 Grammys and posed for a photo together.
The singer won best pop duo/group performance for her duet with Bruno Mars, "Die With a Smile," which was released in August 2024.
During their acceptance speech, Gaga shouted out Polansky and thanked him for supporting her.
"Michael, I love you so much," she said, "all your support and love every single day."
March 7, 2025: Gaga releases her new album "Mayhem," on which Polansky is credited as a songwriter and executive producer.
Lady Gaga released "Mayhem" on March 7, 2025.
Interscope Records
Ahead of releasing "Mayhem," Gaga credited Polansky with inspiring her to make pop music again. "Like anyone would do for the person they love, I encouraged her to lean in to the joy of it," Polansky told Vogue.
Polansky was apparently hands-on during the creative process, too — he's credited as a cowriter on seven of the album's 14 tracks: "Disease," "Vanish Into You," "LoveDrug," "How Bad Do U Want Me," "Don't Call Tonight," "The Beast," and "Blade of Grass," which Gaga said was inspired by their engagement. Polansky is also listed as an executive producer alongside Gaga and Andrew Watt.
When asked what impact Polansky had on her new music, Gaga told The New York Times, "Michael was in the studio every day with me. He oversaw the whole process of making the record, completing it, helping me to shape the sound of the record creatively."
At one point, Gaga said, she had the urge to transform "Mayhem" into a grunge-pop album in the vein of track four, "Perfect Celebrity." Polansky convinced her to keep "Mayhem" as a mix of genres and sonic influences.
"He said, 'But there's so much other amazing music that you've made, and it's all you. You don't have to try to be something,'" she explained. "I thought that was really astute, and I was happy it happened because often I will run with my crazy idea and then sometimes regret that."
Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae El Moussa tied the knot in October 2021.
They welcomed their first child together in January 2023.
The El Moussas are starring in "The Flip Off" alongside Tarek's ex, Christina Haack.
Heather Rae El Moussa and Tarek El Moussa have been inseparable since they met on a boat in July 2019.
Nearly six years later, Tarek, 43, and Heather, 37, are married, have welcomed their first child, and now star in two HGTV series together.
Here's a timeline of their relationship, from their whirlwind meeting to new real-estate projects.
January 2018: Tarek El Moussa was single for the first time in nearly a decade.
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack in 2016.
Alexander Tamargo / Contributor / Getty Images
Tarek El Moussa married Christina Haack in 2009. They starred in HGTV's "Flip or Flop" and have two children, Taylor, 14, and Brayden, 9.
The couple separated in 2016, seven months after police were called to their house because of "a call of a possibly suicidal male with a gun," TMZ reported at the time. Tarek was seen running from his home with a firearm, which he dropped after police told him from a helicopter to release it, TMZ reported.
"Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage," Tarek and Haack said in a statement to People on the matter. "We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago, and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution. There was no violence, and no charges were filed."
Tarek addressed the incident in his 2024 book "Flip Your Life," saying he decided to go on a walk after a fight with Haack and was carrying the gun to protect himself from wildlife.
In a February 2024 conversation with Business Insider, he also described his divorce from Haack as "the most difficult period" of his life, particularly because of the media attention their separation received.
"I don't know what it was about me and Christina, but we got so much press for years, and it just wouldn't slow down," he said. "It wouldn't go away."
As the couple shared on the "Not Skinny Not Fat" podcast, Tarek and Heather first connected when he slid into Heather's Instagram DMs a few months before she started filming Netflix's "Selling Sunset." He asked her out, but she said no because she had a boyfriend at the time.
On July 4, 2019, Tarek and Heather, who was then single, were cruising on separate boats off the coast of Newport Beach, California, for the holiday, according to People.
When their boats were docked near each other, Heather came onto Tarek's boat to speak to a mutual friend. Sparks flew, and Tarek asked Heather on a date again. This time, she said yes.
July 28, 2019: The pair were first spotted in public together.
They were photographed together in July 2019.
TM/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor / Getty Images
TMZ captured photos of Heather and Tarek kissing in Redondo Beach, California.
August 8, 2019: Heather and Tarek confirmed their relationship on Instagram.
"It's official," Tarek captioned his post. "After more than 3 years on my own I'm so PROUD to say that this beautiful, sweet and talented young lady is my girlfriend."
"I'll be honest and say I never thought I would meet someone special in my life after the last three years," he went on to write. "Then...out of the blue @heatherraeyoung walked into my life."
Heather said she was "so proud to call" Tarek her boyfriend in her post.
"This incredible man @therealtarekelmoussa came into my life at the perfect time and I haven't stopped smiling since," she wrote. "I am so proud to call him my boyfriend, I just look at him in awe at what an amazing, talented and kind human he is."
August 8, 2019: Tarek revealed he had introduced Heather to his children.
The couple in 2019.
Paul Archuleta / Contributor / Getty Images
On the same day that they announced their relationship, Tarek and Heather did an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
In the interview, Tarek shared that he introduced Heather to his family, including his two children, the night before.
"I introduced her to my kids last night for the first time," he said in the interview. "My mom, my dad, my mom's husband, my sister. So, we're doing it! Very excited."
Tarek also said in the interview that Heather was everything he didn't know he had been missing.
"I just went through some pretty traumatic things in my life and honestly I was very happy being comfortable on my own and I didn't realize what I was missing until I found what I was missing," he told Entertainment Tonight at the time. "I was sad for a very long time; I was alone for a very long time, and I feel like she's really brought me back to life, which is very, very fun to say."
August 21, 2019: Heather met Tarek's TV crew in honor of this birthday.
Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa in November 2023.
Denise Truscello - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
The crew members Tarek works with on HGTV surprised him with a birthday cake and rendition of "Happy Birthday" to celebrate his 38th birthday, as he documented in an Instagram post.
Heather was with him during the surprise, and Tarek introduced her to the crew as his "birthday present" after saying it was the "best birthday ever."
September 5, 2019: Tarek shared that he introduced Heather to his ex-wife.
Christina Haack and Heather Rae El Moussa.
Allen Berezovsky / Contributor / Michael Tran / Contributor / Getty Images
The "Flipping 101" star revealed that Heather and Haack had already met during an appearance on "GMA3."
As he told hosts Michael Strahan, Keke Palmer, and Sara Haines, Haack and Heather met when he and Heather went to pick up his kids. He only gave both women five minutes' notice that they would be meeting.
"I was like, 'Oh, I'm coming over to see the kids. By the way, my girlfriend is coming. See you in five!'" Tarek said of what he told Haack.
"I looked at Heather, and I was like, 'Are you ready?' And she was like, 'Ready for what?' I was like, 'Well, we're going to go see the kids, and my ex-wife is there,'" he said.
Tarek added that he and Haack had not formally discussed his new relationship before the two women met, but they "got along great."
"They both eat that healthy, hippie food," he joked. "They do that weird hiking stuff."
November and December 2019: They spent their first holiday season together.
The couple in 2021.
Amy Sussman / Staff / Getty Images
Heather and Tarek went to Amsterdam and Paris for their first Thanksgiving together, as they documented on Instagram.
"My heart is so full of love," Heather wrote in an Instagram post about the day. "@therealtarekelmoussa and the kids have changed my life more than I can even describe. This is our first Christmas together and it's one I'll never forget."
"I just adore Tarek's family so much," she added.
January 29, 2020: The couple announced they were living together.
They moved in together shortly after they met.
Michael Tran / Contributor / Getty Images
Tarek announced on Instagram that he and Heather had been living together "for a while" at the end of January 2020. He said they split their time between a home in West Hollywood and another in Orange County.
"The best part is I now have someone to go to bed with and wake up to every day," he wrote. "The better part is that person is @heatherraeyoung."
Tarek later revealed in another Instagram post that he and Heather moved in together "less than a week after our first date."
July 22, 2020: Heather and Tarek celebrated their first anniversary.
The couple have been together since 2019.
Raymond Hall / Contributor / Getty Images
Both Tarek and Heather took to Instagram to celebrate one year together.
"From the first day I met you, to our first date and our second date when we decided to commit 100% before we barely even knew each other. But we knew what we had was special. We had that butterflies in your tummy, can't eat, can't stop smiling soul mate love," Heather captioned her post. "You are my very best friend in the whole world. The man I look up to, admire, adore, best daddy, best heart, kind & most important loyal and honest."
"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you," she added.
Tarek echoed Heather's post, saying he would be "lost" without her.
"The second our eyes connected and we smiled at each other I knew my life would never be the same," he wrote. "She is incredible in every way possible and most importantly she loves and adores Tay and Bray."
"I just love you to the moon and back. You are my everything and you complete me. I'd be lost without you," Tarek said of Heather.
July 26, 2020: Tarek proposed to Heather.
They got engaged about a year after they started dating.
Tarek popped the question on the beach, which Heather said was a complete surprise in a follow-up post.
Tarek told People he knew he wanted to make Heather his wife after seeing how she was with his children.
"We were sitting on the boat one day, and I looked over, and she had Taylor in one arm and Brayden in the other arm, and they're all three cuddling," he said. "That was the moment I knew I had to make her my wife and bring her into the family."
People also reported that Tarek proposed with an eight-carat diamond. The emerald-cut ring sits on a gold band.
September 2020: The engaged couple bought their first home together.
They bought a home together.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
The pair bought a home in Newport Beach, California, where they first met, as People reported.
"Tarek originally bought it as a flip but then they decided to make it their new home," a representative for the couple told People at the time.
February 2021: Heather got a tattoo in Tarek's honor.
Heather Rae El Moussa.
MEGA / Contributor / Getty Images
As US Weekly reported, Heather revealed on Instagram that she got a tattoo on her hip that read, "Yes sir, Mr. El Moussa" as a Valentine's Day present for her fiancé.
She later deleted the post after fans reacted with mixed reviews, according to People.
July 2021: Tarek reportedly compared his ex to Heather on the set of "Flip or Flop."
Heather Rae and Tarek El Moussa in May 2024.
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Alzheimer's Association California
People reported that Tarek yelled at Christina Haack on the "Flip or Flop" set and compared her to Heather.
"Look at me, look at me, look at me. It's called winning," Tarek said to Haack, according to People. The publication also reported that he called his ex-wife a "washed-up loser" during the incident.
August 14, 2020: Heather and Tarek got a puppy together.
Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa in September 2024.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust
The couple added their puppy Bugz to their family as a surprise for Taylor and Brayden, as Tarek wrote on his Instagram.
"It's one of those moments where you know your kids will look back on it and remember it forever," he wrote.
October 23, 2021: Heather and Tarek got married.
Heather Rae Young and Tarek El Moussa at their 2021 wedding.
"I'm a WIFE!!! Yesterday feels like a dream… so perfect, filled with so much love and magic," Heather captioned an Instagram post about the event. "Truly everything I've ever wanted and more. I love you so much @therealtarekelmoussa and now I get to say we're officially MARRIED!!"
Heather also shared on Instagram that she and Tarek said vows to his children during the wedding.
"When your daddy and I decided to be fully committed, I was 100% committing myself to you too," Heather said she told the kids in her vows. "I am beyond honored to be your 'bonus' mommy. Thank you for allowing me to love your daddy with all my heart. I love you both more than you will ever know."
January 2022: Heather started freezing her eggs as she and Tarek family planned.
Heather Rae El Moussa in 2021.
Rich Polk/E! Entertainment / Contributor / Getty Images
Heather told Today that she didn't think she wanted to have children until she met Tarek.
Heather went on to tell Today that she found out she had a low egg count in her 20s, so she decided to freeze her eggs and create embryos through IVF after they got married to transfer in the summer of 2022. Heather documented the process on social media.
"I'm glad I decided to share my story on Instagram because struggling with infertility can feel very isolating," she told Today. "I also want to encourage women to think about their fertility in their 20s."
April 2022: The El Moussas got matching tattoos.
Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa in December 2024.
JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images
On April 12, Heather posted a black-and-white photo on Instagram of fresh tattoos on her and Tarek's arms.
Both were inked with "10.23.2021," their wedding date, on their forearms. Heather's wrist had a smaller "TEM" tattoo, while Tarek's had "HEM" in the same place to represent each other's initials.
May 11, 2022: The El Moussas turned over a new leaf with Haack after a medical emergency.
Heather Rae El Moussa, Tarek El Moussa, and Christina Haack in January 2025.
Chris Haston/WBTV via Getty Images
In March 2022, "Flip or Flop" ended amid reports that filming had become "too intimate" for Tarek and Haack to film.
Then, Heather seemed to confirm that Tarek had compared her and Haack during the "Selling Sunset" reunion, which aired on May 6, 2022.
Just three days later, the Daily Mail published photos of Heather and Haack at Brayden's soccer game, in which the pair appeared to be arguing. In separate photos, a coach seemed to be separating Tarek from Josh Hall.
Heather and Haack released a joint statement on May 11, saying they had resolved "a personal matter." On May 13, they posed for a photo together and said they were focused on co-parenting after Brayden underwent an emergency appendectomy, which Haack said was a "wake-up call."
June 22, 2022: HGTV announced a new series about the couple.
Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa got their own HGTV show.
HGTV
HGTV announced the series "The Flipping El Moussas" in a press release provided to Business Insider.
The press release said the show would document Tarek and Heather combining their home flipping and renovation skills, as well as their IVF journey, a move, and a renovation.
"We are so excited to bring viewers into our world to see the ins and outs of our day-to-day lives," the El Moussas said in a statement included in the same press release.
"As busy parents and successful real estate experts, fans can watch us as we go from making breakfast for the kids in the morning, to making business deals by the afternoon," the statement said. "The cameras are capturing our journey like never before and we can't wait to share it all."
"Bringing our expertise together from each of our worlds has been so much fun," Tarek and Heather wrote in an Instagram post about the series. "We are working on all new flipping projects - from multimillion-dollar homes in Los Angeles to a tiny cabin in Big Bear, California, and everything in between that we cannot wait to share with you."
"We'll also be giving a little peek into our everyday lives with the kids, our loved ones and our journey to grow our family," the post went on to say.
July 13, 2022: Heather and Tarek announced they were expecting their first child together.
Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa attend the 2022 People's Choice Awards on December 6, 2022.
Amy Sussman / Staff / Getty Images
The El Moussas announced on Instagram that they were expecting a baby in early 2023.
They opened up about the pregnancy to People, saying it was a "huge shock" because they were scheduling an appointment to implant an embryo via IVF when Heather found out she was pregnant naturally.
"We just weren't expecting this," Heather told People. "We had just gone through IVF. We had embryos on ice. We had a plan."
"I think when you least expect it, and there's no stress in your life, the world just brought us what was meant to be," she added. "I'm so excited that it happened like this."
July 24, 2022: The El Moussas announced they were having a boy.
They were expecting a boy.
HGTV
Tarek and Heather shared that their third child would be a son with an Instagram reel in which they popped blue confetti poppers alongside Brayden and Taylor.
Heather posted on her story that she was "shaking" and her heart was racing ahead of the reveal.
January 31, 2023: Heather and Tarek welcomed their first son together.
Heather Rae and Tarek El Moussa in October 2024.
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
Heather and Tarek announced on Instagram that their son, Tristan El Moussa, was born on January 31, 2023.
Speaking to Business Insider just over a month after Tristan's birth, Heather said her close bond with Taylor and Brayden made her want to have a child.
"They're very special kids, and I'm so in love with them, and that's what made me want to have a baby, as well as my love for Tarek," Heather said. "This is the kind of relationship you dream of and hope for. I found the love of my life, and I wanted to create a beautiful baby with him."
March 2, 2023: "The Flipping El Moussas" premiered on HGTV.
The El Moussas on the set of their HGTV series.
HGTV
The series spotlighted the couple flipping homes, and it gave peeks at their home life together as well.
Ahead of the premiere, the couple told BI that working together only made them closer.
"We love being together," Heather told BI. "Tarek and I really trust each other, and we value each other and respect each other."
The show was confirmed for a second season in July 2023, and it premiered in December 2024.
May 15, 2024: The El Moussas announced they were teaming up with Haack on a new series.
The El Moussas filmed a show with Christina Haack.
HGTV
HGTV announced it would reunite Haack and Tarek on-screen alongside their new spouses in a house-flipping competition series called "The Flip Off."
In the show, the El Moussas were set to compete against Haack and Hall to see who could make the most money off of a flip. However, Haack and Hall split in July 2024 after filming had begun, so Haack ended up competing in the series solo.
Tarek and Heather expressed their support for Haack amid her divorce to paparazzi on July 23, 2024, as E! News reported.
"We support her," Heather said.
"Whatever she needs, we're here to help," Tarek echoed.
January 29, 2025: "The Flip Off" premiered on HGTV.
Although they're competing against each other on the show, Haack and the El Moussas seem to be on good terms, with Haack and Heather hugging each other on the show.
The El Moussas and Haack even told BI before the premiere that they were open to flipping a house as a team.
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson at a Palm Beach gala.
Mireya Acierto/Getty Images for amfAR
Donald Trump Jr. is dating Bettina Anderson, a Palm Beach model and socialite.
Trump Jr. was previously engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is now his father's ambassador to Greece.
Anderson and Trump Jr. were first linked in September and attended Trump's inauguration together.
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson appeared to make their public debut as a couple at President Donald Trump's inauguration following months of speculation about the nature of their relationship.
Since going public in January, Trump Jr. and Anderson have appeared together at Trump's joint address to Congress and a Palm Beach gala.
Trump Jr., who is Trump's oldest son, was previously engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and campaign advisor whom Trump chose to serve as his administration's ambassador to Greece.
Anderson, a Palm Beach socialite, model, and the founder and executive director of the wildlife conservation nonprofit Project Paradise, was first spotted in the Trump family's orbit at the Republican National Convention in July.
Representatives for Trump Jr., Guilfoyle, and Anderson did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Here's a timeline of their relationship.
July 2024: Bettina Anderson was seated behind Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention.
Bettina Anderson, wearing a red pantsuit, was seated behind Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
Anderson was photographed sitting behind Trump Jr., Guilfoyle, and other members of the Trump family on the third and fourth days of the Republican National Convention.
Guilfoyle was still wearing her engagement ring.
September 2024: The Daily Mail reported that Anderson and Trump Jr. were seen kissing and eating brunch together in Palm Beach.
Bettina Anderson in Palm Beach, Florida.
John Parra/Getty Images
Anderson and Trump Jr. were photographed dining together at the Honor Bar, a restaurant located about 4 miles from Mar-a-Lago, The Daily Mail reported.
Neither responded to a request for comment in September about the nature of their relationship.
October 2024: Anderson cohosted a Trump campaign fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago featuring Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Mar-a-Lago.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Tickets to the fundraising dinner cost $100,000 a couple and admission to a fireside chat cost $30,000 a couple, the Palm Beach Daily News reported. Serving on the host committee of the event required a $250,000 contribution.
December 2024: Anderson and Trump Jr. were photographed holding hands in Palm Beach, and Anderson tagged him in her Instagram story.
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson during inauguration events.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Anderson and Trump Jr. were photographed holding hands as they left Buccan, a restaurant in Palm Beach, on Anderson's 38th birthday, The Daily Mail reported.
Anderson also shared a photo on her Instagram story of a bouquet of flowers and a card reading, "Many have said you're aging out but I think you're perfect...happy birthday!" She tagged Trump Jr. in the post, appearing to indicate that he was the sender.
Later that month, Anderson joined Trump Jr. at the Trump family's New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago.
December 2024: Trump Jr. told Page Six that he and Guilfoyle "will never stop caring for each other."
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
While Trump Jr. did not officially confirm that he and Guilfoyle had broken off their engagement, he said in a statement to Page Six that they "will always keep a special bond" and that he "could not be more proud of her and the important role she'll continue to play in my father's administration" as ambassador to Greece.
January 2024: Anderson and Trump Jr. attended inauguration events together, which appeared to mark their public debut as a couple.
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson with other Trump family members at an inaugural reception.
ALEX BRANDON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Anderson and Trump Jr. attended an inaugural reception at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, DC, on January 18. On January 19, they held hands and danced to "YMCA" by The Village People at the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball.
Anderson and Trump Jr. traveled to the Capitol Rotunda together on Inauguration Day but sat separately for the ceremony. Trump Jr. sat with his family members on the inaugural platform, while Anderson took her seat in the crowd.
Guilfoyle was also seated in the audience for the inauguration, but not with the Trump family as she had been at the RNC.
February 2024: They attended the Super Bowl together.
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson at a Super Bowl event.
Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images
President Trump was the first sitting president to ever attend the Super Bowl. He was joined by Trump Jr., Anderson, and other family members and associates to watch the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
March 2024: Trump Jr. and Anderson engaged in public displays of affection at Trump's address to a joint session of Congress.
Bettina Anderson and Donald Trump Jr. at Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Trump Jr. and Anderson were photographed cuddling in their seats in the House chamber before Trump's speech began.
March 2024: The couple walked the red carpet together at a gala in Palm Beach.
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson at a Palm Beach gala.
Mireya Acierto/Getty Images for amfAR
Trump Jr. and Anderson attended the mfAR Palm Beach Gala in support of the organization's AIDS research and global HIV prevention.
Other celebrities in attendance included Martha Stewart, who received mfAR's Award of Inspiration, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ricky Martin.
The gala was held days after People magazine reported that Trump Jr.'s ex-wife, Vanessa Trump, is dating Tiger Woods. Vanessa Trump and Woods did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Second lady Usha Vance and Vice President JD Vance.
Alex Brandon/AP
JD Vance, Donald Trump's vice president, is a former senator from Ohio.
Vance met his wife, Usha Vance, while they were both students at Yale Law School.
They wed in both Christian and Hindu ceremonies in 2014 and have three children.
When Fox News asked Usha Vance in June 2024 how she felt about her husband, JD Vance, being considered as Donald Trump's running mate, she told host Lawrence Jones that she was "not raring to change anything about our lives right now."
But it appeared she came around — she was seen alongside JD Vance and Trump at the Republican National Convention as her husband was officially nominated to join the ticket and again at the Trump campaign's victory party in November.
JD Vance, the former junior senator from Ohio and bestselling author of "Hillbilly Elegy," and Usha Vance, a litigator whose résumé includes a Supreme Court clerkship, met as students at Yale Law School and wed in 2014.
Since becoming vice president and second lady, the Vances have taken several international trips together, including an upcoming visit to the US military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Friday.
Here's a look inside the relationship of the newest GOP power couple who serve as vice president and second lady.
Born in Ohio and raised by his grandparents in Kentucky, JD Vance joined the Marines and graduated from Ohio State University.
JD Vance.
Gaelen Morse/Getty Images
JD Vance served as a public affairs marine in Iraq, liaising between service members and members of the press. After his military service, he majored in political science and philosophy at Ohio State University.
Usha Vance studied history at Yale and taught American history in Guangzhou as a Yale-China Teaching Fellow.
Usha Vance.
Alex Brandon, File/AP
Usha Vance grew up in a suburb of San Diego. Her parents are Indian immigrants.
Usha Vance told Fox News in June that her parents' Hindu faith was "one of the things that made them such good parents, that make them very good people."
The couple met while they were students at Yale Law School.
JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance.
Gaelen Morse/Reuters
In law school, Usha Vance served as executive development editor of the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law and Technology, according to a bio on the website of her former employer, Munger, Tolles & Olson, that has since been removed.
She also worked pro bono with the Supreme Court Advocacy Clinic, the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic, and the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project.
Usha Vance told NBC News in 2017 that she and JD Vance took all of their classes together and were friends before they started dating. When they were assigned to work on a brief together, Usha Vance said she was impressed by his diligence.
"I've never seen anybody so starstruck," their law school professor, Amy Chua, said of JD Vance in an interview with NBC News. "It was love at first sight."
They wed in 2014 and held both Christian and Hindu ceremonies.
JD Vance and Usha Vance at an election night event.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, The American Conservative reported. Usha Vance was raised Hindu.
When asked about their interfaith marriage in a June interview with Fox News, Usha Vance said: "There are a lot of things that we just agree on, I think, especially when it comes to family life, how to raise our kids. So I think the answer really is that we just talk a lot."
In 2016, JD Vance published his best-selling memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," in which he wrote about his relationship with Usha Vance.
JD Vance's memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," came out in 2016.
Jeff Swensen
JD Vance's memoir details his working-class upbringing and the lives of poor, white Americans. He also wrote about how Chua, his professor, encouraged him to focus on his relationship with Usha Vance as a Yale law student.
When JD Vance asked Chua to recommend him for a federal clerkship, she warned him that it's "the type of thing that destroys relationships."
"Amy's advice stopped me from making a life-altering decision. It prevented me from moving a thousand miles away from the person I eventually married," Vance wrote.
"Most important, it allowed me to accept my place at this unfamiliar institution — it was okay to chart my own path and okay to put a girl above some shortsighted ambition," he continued. "My professor gave me permission to be me."
After law school, JD Vance worked at VC firms while Usha Vance landed prestigious clerkships.
JD Vance with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Vance worked at Mithril Capital, a VC firm backed by Peter Thiel, in 2016. One former coworker previously told Business Insider that Vance was often away from the job promoting his book, "Hillbilly Elegy."
Thiel ended up being instrumental in Vance's rise to power in politics, donating $15 million to his Senate campaign and encouraging Trump to choose Vance as his running mate, The New York Times reported.
Vance went on to work at Revolution, a VC firm in Washington, DC, before founding his own firm, Narya Capital, in 2019.
Meanwhile, Usha Vance worked as a litigator at Munger, Tolles & Olson before leaving to clerk for Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the US Court of Appeals and Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts. Following her clerkships, she returned to Munger, Tolles & Olson, according to a bio on the firm's website that has since been removed.
They have three children.
JD Vance and Usha Vance with their children.
Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Their first child, Ewan, was born a month before Usha Vance began her clerkship with Chief Justice Roberts, NBC News reported. They also have another son, Vivek, and a daughter, Mirabel.
Usha Vance appeared in a political ad and at campaign events when JD Vance ran for Congress in 2022.
JD Vance and Usha Vance at an election night watch party.
Andrew Spear/Getty Images
In the ad, Usha Vance described her husband as "an incredible father" and "my best friend."
In an interview with Newsmax about the ad, Usha Vance also responded to media reports about Vance's dramatic transformation from a "Never Trumper" to a staunch Trump supporter.
"Sometimes people say that he's changed a lot, but the truth is I've known him now for so many years and he's always been so true to himself," she said.
As Trump vetted JD Vance for the vice presidency, Usha Vance expressed ambivalence about the possibility of him being chosen.
Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
"I'm not raring to change anything about our lives right now, but I really believe in JD and I love him, so we'll see what happens with our lives," she told Fox News in June 2024.
When Trump chose JD Vance as his 2024 running mate in July, Usha Vance quit her job as a litigator.
JD Vance and Usha Vance arrive at the Republican National Convention.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
On the first day of the Republican National Convention, when Trump announced JD Vance as his vice presidential pick, a spokesperson for Munger, Tolles & Olsen told ABC News that Usha Vance had left the firm.
"Usha has been an excellent lawyer and colleague, and we thank her for her years of work and wish her the best in her future career," the spokesperson said.
Usha Vance spoke at the Republican National Convention about meeting and falling in love with JD Vance.
Usha Vance at the Republican National Convention.
Brian Snyder/Getty Images
Usha Vance said that when they first met, JD Vance approached their differences "with curiosity and enthusiasm."
"Although he's a meat and potatoes kind of guy, he adapted to my vegetarian diet and learned to cook food from my mother, Indian food," Usha Vance said in her speech. "Before I knew it, he'd become an integral part of my family, a person I could not imagine living without."
JD Vance acknowledged racist attacks against his wife from white supremacists.
JD Vance and Usha Vance at a campaign stop.
Nell Redmond/AP
After white nationalist Nick Fuentes questioned JD Vance's ability to "support white identity" with an Indian wife, he voiced support for his spouse.
"Look, I love my wife so much. I love her because she's who she is," JD Vance said in an interview with Megyn Kelly in July. "Obviously, she's not a white person, and we've been attacked by some white supremacists over that. But I just, I love Usha."
He also hit back against the attacks on ABC News' "This Week," telling host Jonathan Karl in August, "Look, my attitude to these people attacking my wife is, she's beautiful, she's smart. What kind of man marries Usha? A very smart man and a very lucky man, importantly."
He continued, "Don't attack my wife. She's out of your league."
JD Vance thanked his "beautiful wife" in a post on X after he and Trump won the election in November.
Usha Vance and JD Vance with members of the Trump family on election night.
Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images
Usha Vance appeared alongside her husband and members of the Trump family at the campaign's election night event in Palm Beach, Florida.
"THANK YOU!" Vance wrote on X after the election results came in. "To my beautiful wife for making it possible to do this. To President Donald J. Trump, for giving me such an opportunity to serve our country at this level. And to the American people, for their trust. I will never stop fighting for ALL of you."
At the 2025 inauguration, Usha Vance held the Bible as JD Vance was sworn in as vice president.
JD Vance was sworn in as vice president on Inauguration Day.
Kevin Lamarque/Pool/Getty Images
JD Vance was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Usha Vance's former boss when she clerked for him in the US Court of Appeals.
They took their first foreign trip together as vice president and second lady in February, visiting France and Germany.
JD Vance and Usha Vance disembarked Air Force Two with their children.
IAN LANGSDON/AFP via Getty Images
The vice president attended the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris and the Munich Security Conference. He and Usha Vance also visited the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
They brought their three children along on Air Force Two.
In March, JD Vance is set to join Usha Vance to visit Pituffik Space Base, the sole US military base in Greenland.
Pituffik Space Base in Greenland.
Ritzau Scanpix/Thomas Traasdahl via REUTERS
Since winning a second non-consecutive term in the White House, Trump has doubled down on his intention to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory where the US has a military base. The governments of Greenland and Denmark have maintained that it is not for sale, but Trump has said he would not rule out using force.
In March, the White House announced that Usha Vance would embark on a solo trip to Greenland to "visit historical sites, learn about Greenlandic heritage, and attend the Avannaata Qimussersua, Greenland's national dogsled race" in March. The government of Greenland said that they had not invited any delegations to visit, and Greenland's Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede called the trip "very aggressive." Trump said that Greenland had asked the US to visit.
Usha Vance's trip was subsequently scaled back to visiting Pituffik Space Base, the US military's northernmost installation in Greenland. In a video, JD Vance announced he would travel with her.
"There was so much excitement around Usha's visit to Greenland this Friday that I decided I didn't want her to have all that fun by herself, and so I'm going to join her," he said.
"Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance are proud to visit the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland this Friday," Taylor Van Kirk, JD Vance's press secretary, told Business Insider on Thursday."As the vice president has said, previous US leaders have neglected Arctic security, while Greenland's Danish rulers have neglected their security obligations to the island. The security of Greenland is critical in ensuring the security of the rest of the world, and the Vice President looks forward to learning more about the island."
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been together for years.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been together for more than a decade.
Lively and Reynolds met on the set of "Green Lantern," wed in 2012, and have four kids.
They have recently been involved in a public legal battle related to one of Lively's movies.
Hollywood A-listers Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been together for over a decade.
The two met on the set of a movie they were both working on and started out as friends. They have since walked many red carpets, supported each other's work on a range of films, and had four children.
Here's a timeline of Lively and Reynolds' relationship.
July 2010: Lively and Reynolds met on the set of "Green Lantern."
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively attended Comic-Con together.
Kevin Winter / Staff/Getty Images
In the summer of 2010, Lively and Reynolds were cast as the lead roles in "Green Lantern" and made their first public appearance together at Comic-Con in San Diego.
They weren't a couple at the time — Lively was still dating "Gossip Girl" costar Penn Badgley, while Reynolds was married to Scarlett Johansson.
September 2010: Lively and Badgley split.
Penn Badgley and Blake Lively had apparently split long before they announced it.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
Shortly after filming started, Lively and Badgley ended their relationship. An insider told Us Weekly they had been keeping the news quiet for a while but were still friends.
December 2010: Reynolds and Johansson announced their divorce
Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson were married for about two years.
Kevin Mazur / Contributor/Getty Images
Not long after, Reynolds and Johansson released a joint statement confirming their divorce.
It read, "After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we've decided to end our marriage. We entered our relationship with love and it's with love and kindness we leave it. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated."
October 2011: Sources confirmed that Lively and Reynolds were dating.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively made their romance public.
Lester Cohen / Contributor/Getty Images
After months of reports, a source confirmed to People that the "Green Lantern" costars were "very much a couple" and that they were "really happy together."
September 2012: Reynolds and Lively tied the knot in a surprise wedding.
Ryan Reynolds later apologized for their choice to get married at a plantation that had enslaved Black people.
Bauer-Griffin / Contributor/Getty Images
After months of keeping things relatively low-key, the pair got married at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in front of their family and friends.
Although they did not release photos, they shared details about Lively's couture ball gown by Marchesa, their giant dessert table, and the bouquets.
Years later, in an interview with Fast Company, Reynolds apologized for his and Lively's choice to get married at that plantation, which had enslaved Black people.
"It's something we'll always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for," he said. "It's impossible to reconcile."
October 2012: Lively said in an interview that she had "never been happier."
Blake Lively also said she wanted kids.
Brian Rasic / Contributor/Getty Images
In an interview with Allure, Lively spoke about how happy she was with Reynolds, saying, "Right now, I'm so peaceful. I've never been happier in my life."
She also made it clear she wanted kids, saying, "I've always wanted a big family. Oh, I'd love 30 (children) if I could."
May 2014: They made their first red carpet appearance as a couple at the Met Gala.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds both wore Gucci to their first Met Gala together.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
The couple hit the red carpet for the first time together as a couple at the Met Gala in 2014. They both wore Gucci.
August 2014: Lively gushed about Reynolds to Vogue magazine
Blake Lively called Ryan Reynolds a "beautiful writer."
VALERY HACHE / Staff/Getty Images
In an interview with Vogue, Lively wasn't shy when it came to expressing her love for her husband.
She said, "Everything we do in life we do together. If I'm working on a movie, he helps me with my character; I do the same with him. Picking out a coffee table. What we're going to eat. He's a beautiful writer — he's written a lot of stuff for us. And he's got a great barometer and he knows me, so he will tell me if it's not as good as it can be."
October 2014: Lively announced she was pregnant for the first time
Blake Lively announced the pregnancy on her website.
Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff/Getty Images
Lively took to her then-new lifestyle website, Preserve (which has since been deleted), to announce her first pregnancy. She posted a photo of herself among other photos of other pregnant people.
"Congratulations to all the expecting mothers out there," she wrote at the time.
January 2015: Lively gave birth to their first child.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds named their first daughter James.
Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
In January 2015, Lively gave birth to the couple's first child,
After a few months without many details about the baby, Reynolds revealed their daughter's name on "The Today Show."
He said, "It's James. Everyone knows. I didn't want to be the first guy screaming it out to the media, because as we know, little girls turn into teenage girls and little teenage girls sometimes scan through the archives and go, 'Why did you do that?'"
February 2016: Reynolds spoke about how he and Lively first got together.
Apparently, it was an awkward double date.
Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
At an amFAR New York Gala, Reynolds told Entertainment Weekly they were "buddies" when they first met.
He added, "That was the most awkward date ... it was weird at first, but we were buddies for a long time. I think it's the best way to have a relationship is to start as friends."
October 2016: Lively and Reynolds welcomed their second daughter.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively with their two oldest daughters.
Michael Tran/FilmMagic/Getty Images
In October 2016, the couple welcomed their second child.
Us Weekly later confirmed that the couple had named their second daughter Inez.
November 2016: Reynolds revealed the moment he knew Lively was the one.
It was a scene right out of a movie.
Frazer Harrison / Staff/Getty Images
In an interview with O magazine, Reynolds talked about the date when he knew he wanted to marry Lively.
He said, "We were hanging out at this little restaurant in Tribeca that's open really late, and this song came on and I was just like, 'Want to dance?' No one was in there, so it was just totally empty. And it was just one of those moments where halfway through the dance, it was like, 'Oh, I think I just crossed a line.' And then I walked her home."
"And, uh, you know, I don't really need to go into what happened after that," he added.
May 2019: Lively and Reynolds seemingly announced they are expecting their third child together.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at an event for "Detective Pikachu."
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Lively seemed to announce her third pregnancy in May 2018 while attending the "Detective Pikachu" premiere to support her husband, who voiced the lead character in the film.
October 2019: Multiple publications confirmed the couple welcomed their third child.
Ryan Reynolds seemed to confirm he and Blake Lively's third child was a girl.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
In October, multiple publications confirmed that the couple welcomed their third child.
July 2021: Reynolds shared more about when he made the first move.
Ryan Reynolds said he was "begging" Blake Lively to sleep with him.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
"I met Blake on the darkest crease in the anus of the universe called 'Green Lantern,'" Reynolds recalled on the "SmartLess" podcast in July 2021, per HollywoodLife.
He said he made the first move when they were both going on a train to Boston.
"Next thing you know, she was going to Boston, I was going to Boston and I said, 'Well, I'll ride with you,'" he said. "We got on the train and we rode together. I was just begging her to sleep with me."
September 2022: Us Weekly confirmed Lively was pregnant again.
Blake Lively in September 2022.
Taylor Hill / Contributor/Getty Images
In September, Us Weekly confirmed that Lively was pregnant with the couple's fourth child.
The actor seemed to reveal her pregnancy while attending the 10th annual Forbes Power Women's Summit. She wore a gold minidress and an onlooker told Us Weekly that she was not "trying to hide" her pregnancy.
According to E!, she seemed to allude to her growing family during the event, saying, "I just like to create. Whether that's baking or storytelling or businesses or humans, I just really like creating."
February 2023: The pair welcomed their fourth child.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have four kids.
Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty
They welcomed their fourth child on the day of the 2023 Super Bowl.
July 2024: The couple revealed the name of their fourth child during Reynolds' movie premiere.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the "Deadpool & Wolverine" premiere.
Taylor Hill/WireImage
The couple attended the premiere of Reynolds' film "Deadpool & Wolverine" together.
While walking the carpet and sending love to his kids, Reynolds revealed their fourth child's name is Olin, according to People.
August 2024: The couple posed together at the premiere of Lively's newest film.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attended the "It Ends With Us" New York premiere.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images
In August, the couple attended the New York premiere of Lively's film "It Ends With Us."
Lively starred in the romantic drama alongside Justin Baldoni, who was also the film's director.
January 2025: Reynolds joined the legal battle between Lively and Baldoni.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively in New York City.
XNY/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images
Months after the release of "It Ends With Us," Baldoni and Lively became involved in a lot of public controversy. Reynolds has also become a part of the ongoing feud and legal battle.
In December, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment, conspiring to damage her public reputation, and retaliation. The New York Times detailed her allegations in an article that same month.
Shortly after, Baldoni filed a libel lawsuit against the Times for its story about Lively's complaint. The same day, Lively filed a suit against Baldoni, his team, and others.
In January, Baldoni filed a countersuit against Lively, Reynolds, and others. Baldoni pushed back on claims he sexually harassed Lively and orchestrated a smear campaign against her, instead accusing her and Reynolds of trying to damage his career.
But what started as a pairing of two mega powers, who met on the set of "Mr and Mrs Smith" while Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston, dissolved into eight years of legal fighting. Jolie accused Pitt of physical abuse (no charges were filed) and Pitt sued Jolie for selling her stake in their French winery.
Here's a timeline of their relationship.
2004: Pitt and Jolie met on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
Angelina Jolie would later confirm this.
20th Century Fox
Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston and Jolie had recently filed for divorce from Billy Bob Thornton at the time of filming around 2003.
People reported that in a 2006 interview, Jolie confirmed to Vogue that they began developing feelings for each other. She said, "I think we found this strange friendship and partnership that kind of just suddenly happened. I think a few months in I realized, 'God, I can't wait to get to work.'"
She added: "It took until, really, the end of the shoot for us, I think, to realize that it might mean something more than we'd earlier allowed ourselves to believe. And both knowing that the reality of that was a big thing, something that was going to take a lot of serious consideration."
January 2005: Pitt and Aniston announced they were separating.
The couple said tabloid speculation did not cause the separation.
Vince Bucci/Getty Images
After months of rumors that Pitt and Jolie had an affair on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Pitt and Aniston released a statement about their separation to People: "For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media."
March 2005: Aniston filed for divorce from Pitt.
Jennifer Aniston officially filed for divorce in 2005.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Shortly after the announcement, People reported that Aniston filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences."
April 2005: Pitt and Jolie were photographed on vacation together in Kenya.
The vacation was one of the first times the couple was photographed together.
May 200: Jolie revealed she was pregnant with twins.
Angelina Jolie said she was shocked.
Getty/Pascal Le Segretain
Jolie announced she was expecting twins at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival,
She told Access Hollywood, "We weren't expecting twins. So it did shock us."
July 2008: The twins were born in Nice, France.
The twins were born in July.
Getty/Kevin Winter
Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline were born in Nice, France in July.
A month later, they appeared on the cover of People. Jolie talked about their family life in an interview with the magazine, saying, "It is chaos, but we are managing it and having a wonderful time."
February 2010: The couple sued News of the World for reporting they had split.
They won the lawsuit later that year.
Getty/Gareth Cattermole
In February 2010, News of the World reported the couple had split. The couple later sued the publication for the false report.
In July, BBC News reported that the couple was paid damages from the company that owns the newspaper and planned to donate it to their charity, the Jolie-Pitt foundation.
April 2012: Pitt and Jolie's engagement was confirmed.
Brad Pitt's manager confirmed it.
Getty/Kevin Winter
Pitt's manager confirmed to People that the couple was engaged, saying: "It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There's no date set at this time."
May 2013: Jolie revealed she underwent a preventative double mastectomy.
Angelina Jolie wrote about it in an op-ed.
Anthony Harvey/Stringer/Getty Images
Jolie wrote a New York Times op-ed about undergoing the surgery, writing: "I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive … Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries."
She added: "We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has."
August 2014: Pitt and Jolie secretly married in France.
Maddox and Pax walked their mom down the aisle, Zahara and Vivienne were flower girls, and Shiloh and Knox were ring bearers. Jolie wore an Atelier Versace gown and a veil that featured designs from her kids' drawings embroidered into the fabric.
2015: They worked on their first movie together since "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
Angelina Jolie directed the movie.
Universal Pictures
Pitt and Jolie starred in their second film together, a relationship drama called "By The Sea" which Jolie directed.
That same year, Jolie wrote another op-ed about having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.
Angelina Jolie underwent another surgery.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
After an annual blood test showed markers that could be "a sign of early cancer," Jolie decided to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure.
July 2016: Pitt and Jolie were seen together in public for one of the last times.
One of their last public appearances together was with Shiloh.
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
One of the last times Pitt and Jolie were publicly spotted together as a couple was in July 2016, when they were photographed with Shiloh.
Prior to this, they had been apart for months while working on various projects.
September 2016: Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt.
Angelina Jolie requested primary custody of their children.
Mary Altaffer/AP Images
Citing irreconcilable differences, Jolie officially filed for divorce. She petitioned for primary custody of the six children.
Shortly after, in September 2016, Pitt was accused of physically abusing one of his children. He was later cleared by authorities.
January 2017: the couple hired a private judge to keep their divorce proceedings quiet.
Their agreement would keep their court case details private.
Rich Fury / Getty Images / Stefan Rousseau / WPA Pool / Getty Images
The couple then hired a private judge and reportedly signed agreements to keep the details of their case private. After that, they were relatively quiet about their split for a while.
August 2018: Jolie's camp accused Pitt of not paying "meaningful" child support.
The battle was all in court filings.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Jolie's attorneys said in a court filing that Pitt hadn't paid any "meaningful" child support since they split. It was not clear at the time of the filing what constituted "meaningful" support.
Pitt's lawyers said in return that Pitt had in fact paid Jolie more than $1.3 million in contributions over the past two years and that Pitt gave Jolie an $8 million loan to buy a new property. Her camp denied that he was meeting his legal obligations for child support. Pitt's attorneys also accused Jolie via court filing of trying to "manipulate media coverage" of their divorce.
April 2019: both Pitt and Jolie became legally single.
The pair's divorce has yet to be settled.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP; Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
Though their divorce was still in progress, Judge John W. Ouderkirk entered a judgment saying the couple was no longer married. Her name was also restored to Jolie, not Jolie Pitt.
May 2021: Pitt was reportedly granted "significantly" more "time with the kids."
Brad Pitt was awarded more time through the private judge they hired.
Gregg DeGuire / Getty Images
Business Insider reported that the private judge hired by both stars awarded Pitt more custody of his children following months of witness testimony.
"Pitt has always been seeking the opportunity to have more time with his children and prioritized their well being while the other side did everything to try and stop that," a source familiar with the situation told BI in May 2021.
February 2022: Pitt sued Jolie for selling her stake in their $28 million coowned French winery.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie purchased a controlling stake in 2008 and were married there in 2014.
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images; Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
Pitt and Jolie purchased a controlling stake in Château Miraval and its vineyard behind the popular wine in 2008. The two were also married on the estate in 2014.
According to court documents, lawyers for Pitt say Jolie sold her stake in the Château to the Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler without her ex-husband's knowledge.
"She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt's investment in Miraval," the lawsuit claimed.
The lawsuit continued to state that Jolie's sale was intended to cause Pitt "gratuitous harm" after he had "poured money and sweat equity" into the business. Pitt's lawyers also said that the pair had previously agreed to never sell their respective financial interests in the Château without the other's consent.
According to August 2022 reports, Jolie told the FBI that Pitt "grabbed her by the head" in a 2016 altercation aboard a private jet.
A leaked FBI report from Angelina Jolie began circulating in 2022.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty
According to a leaked FBI report obtained by Rolling Stone and Puck, Jolie alleged in an interview with the FBI that Pitt "grabbed her by her head," shook her, "pushed her into the bathroom wall," and repeatedly punched the ceiling of the private plane during an "outburst" about 90 minutes into a flight from Paris to Los Angeles on September 14, 2016.
The report added that Jolie alleged Pitt was intoxicated during the flight, saying that he poured beer on her at one point. Jolie told the FBI that by the time the plane landed, there was $25,000 worth of damage from Pitt spilling red wine, Rolling Stone reported.
Rolling Stone reported that Jolie alleged her children were scared at the time of the incident. She told the FBI that one child called Pitt a "prick," prompting him to lunge at the kid, only to be stopped when Jolie grabbed him from behind "like in a choke hold."
As previously mentioned, BI reported in 2016 that the FBI cleared Pitt of child abuse allegations regarding that incident.
December 2024: The two reached a divorce settlement.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together in 2015.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Jolie and Pitt signed off on their divorce on December 30, 2024, People reported.
No details of the divorce settlement were revealed.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family," Jolie's lawyer James Simon told BI in a statement. "This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
Pitt's representative declined to comment when contacted by BI.
Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were married for 77 years.
Universal History Archive/Getty Images
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter were married for 77 years before her death in November 2023.
It makes them the longest-married presidential couple in US history.
They were both from Plains, Georgia, and knew each other since Rosalynn was a newborn.
Jimmy Carter was 3 years old and Rosalynn Smith was a baby when they met for the first time.
They were the longest-wed presidential couple in history, married for 77 years until Rosalynn Carter's death on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96. They had four children.
"The best thing I ever did was marrying Rosalynn," the former president said in a 2015 interview at his nonprofit, The Carter Center, shared by C-SPAN. "That's the pinnacle of my life."
"Though we faced extraordinary responsibilities and lived a life we could have never, ever dreamed of, we are first and always Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter from Plains, Georgia," Rosalynn wrote in her 1984 autobiography, "First Lady From Plains."
In February 2023, Jimmy Carter, then 98, entered hospice care at their home in Plains, Georgia, where they've lived since 1962. Despite receiving end-of-life care, Jimmy Carter turned 100 in October, becoming the only president in US history to reach the advanced age. He died at home in Plains on Sunday.
Here's a timeline of the Carters' relationship.
August 1927: Jimmy Carter was just 3 years old when he met his future wife.
A young Jimmy Carter.
Historical/Getty Images
Three-year-old Jimmy met Rosalynn Smith when she was just a newborn. Lillian Carter, Jimmy's mother, worked as a nurse and helped deliver Rosalynn.
Jimmy's younger sister, Ruth, became best friends with Rosalynn. In the 2020 book "What Makes a Marriage Last" by Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, Rosalynn shared that Jimmy's sister is in part responsible for their relationship.
"I always said I fell in love with a photograph of him on her [Ruth's] bedroom wall," Rosalynn said.
"Ruth and I plotted to get me together with [Jimmy]. She'd call and say 'Come over! He's here!' and I'd go flying over to her house, but he'd be gone again," she told the authors.
1945: It wasn't until he was attending the US Naval Academy that Jimmy finally asked Rosalynn out on a date.
Jimmy Carter with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, and his mother, Lillian Carter, at the US Naval Academy.
Associated Press
Before his final year at the Naval Academy, and before Rosalynn's second year of college, the future couple went on their first date.
"I was cruising around with my sister Ruth and her boyfriend, just looking for a date, and I picked up Rosalynn in front of the Methodist church," he told the authors for "What Makes a Marriage Last."
The two then went out to the movies. "I kissed her on that first date. I remember that vividly," he said in the book.
He also recalled telling his mother the next morning that Rosalynn would be his wife one day.
"Rosalynn was the one I wanted to marry," he said.
1946: Jimmy proposed to Rosalynn — twice.
Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter.
Horace Cort/Associated Press
Less than a year after their first date, Jimmy asked Rosalynn to marry him. She initially rejected his proposal, because she wanted to prioritize completing her education.
Later that year, in May 1946, he proposed to her again. This time, she said yes.
July 7, 1946: The Carters married in their hometown.
Jimmy Carter, and Rosalynn Carter in front of a photograph taken on their wedding day.
Bettmann/Getty Images
The couple tied the knot when Jimmy was 21 and Rosalynn was just 19. They got married in Plains, Georgia, at a Methodist church.
July 3, 1947: Jimmy and Rosalynn welcomed the first of their four children, John William Carter, known as Jack.
Jack Carter with Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter.
Bettman via Getty Images
Rosalynn gave birth to their first child, Jack, in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1947 while Jimmy was still serving in the US Navy.
Jack went to law school at the University of Georgia, and he later ran for senate in Nevada in 2006. Although he succeeded in becoming the Democratic nominee, he lost against the Republican incumbent.
April 12, 1950: Their second son, James Earl Carter III, was born while the family was living in Honolulu, Hawaii. He goes by Chip.
Chip Carter.
Mikki Ansin/Getty Images
Chip was born in Honolulu, where Carter was stationed with the Navy at the time.
After working on his family's peanut farm, Chip Carter served on the city council in Plains and later worked on the Democratic National Committee. He then worked at Friendship Force, a nonprofit organization focused on building international connections between people.
August 18, 1952: They had their third child, Donnel Jeffrey Carter, who is known as Jeff.
Jeff Carter, Jimmy Carter's third son.
Bettmann via Getty Images
He was born in New London, Connecticut.
Jeff spent the first years of his marriage to his wife, Annette, living in the White House.
In 1978, he graduated from George Washington University, where he studied geography with a specialty in computer cartography. Later, he became a co-founder of Computer Mapping Consultants, the Bryan Times reported.
1953: They moved back to Georgia, where they worked together on Carter's family farm and he started his political career.
Jimmy Carter on his peanut farm.
PhotoQuest/Getty Images
After his father died in July 1953, Jimmy Carter left the Navy to move his family back to Plains, where he worked for the family's peanut farm.
"We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics," Rosalynn told the Associated Press in 2021. "I knew more on paper about the business than he did. He would take my advice about things."
Once home, Carter eventually turned his attention to politics, serving as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967.
October 19, 1967: Amy Carter, the couple's youngest child, was born.
Amy Carter with her parents.
Newsday LLC/Getty Images
In addition to being the only daughter of Jimmy and Rosalynn, Amy is the only Carter child who spent their younger years in the White House.
She initially attended Brown University, but she eventually completed her bachelor's degree at Memphis College of Art in 1991 before earning her master's in art history from Tulane University in 1996, The Washington Post reported. She is now a board member for The Carter Center.
January 12, 1971: Carter began serving as the governor of Georgia, making Rosalynn the state's first lady.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.
Evening Standard/Getty Images
Carter served as the governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1957. During her time as the first lady of Georgia, Rosalynn focused on helping Georgians suffering from mental health issues. She served on the Governor's Commission to Improve Services to the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped.
August 7, 1975: They became grandparents with the birth of their first grandchild, Jason James Carter.
The extended Carter family.
CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Jason James Carter was born in 1975 to parents Jack Carter and Julie Langford. In 2010, Jason James Carter was elected to the Georgia Senate, although his grandfather didn't campaign for him until just before the election.
"I needed to be more than Jimmy Carter's grandson and I needed to be sure that I could introduce myself and my vision for this state in an effective way," Jason James Carter told ABC News in 2010.
In 2014, he followed in his grandfather's footsteps and ran for governor of Georgia, albeit unsuccessfully.
James Carter IV, the son of Chip and Caron Carter, also works in politics as an opposition researcher.
1976: During the 1976 presidential election, Rosalynn traveled the country to campaign for her husband.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at a campaign event.
Mikki Ansin/Getty Images
Carter announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on December 12, 1974. Rosalynn was on board from the beginning.
"My wife is much more political," he told the Associated Press in 2021.
She added, "I love it. I love campaigning. I had the best time. I was in all the states in the United States."
The White House's official website says Rosalynn's "belief in her husband's ability to lead the nation was communicated in a quiet, friendly manner that made her an effective campaigner."
November 2, 1976: The couple embraced after learning that Carter had won the 1976 election.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter on election night.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Carter defeated incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford to win the presidency.
January 20, 1977: Carter became the 39th president of the United States with Rosalynn by his side.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the inauguration.
Nik Wheeler/Getty Images
At the 1977 presidential inauguration, the couple shared a kiss after Carter was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States in Washington, DC.
1977: Carter's term started, and Rosalynn became the first lady of the US.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the Inaugural Ball.
HUM Images/Getty Images
As the first lady, Rosalynn focused on mental health advocacy. For one year, between 1977 and 1978, she was the honorary chairperson of the President's Commission on Mental Health. In this role, she oversaw a team of social workers, doctors, and lobbyists to enact policy change related to issues of mental illness.
Rosalynn was a political activist whose guidance Carter frequently solicited on both foreign and domestic policy decisions.
1979: Carter gave Rosalynn a kiss on the cheek after announcing his run for reelection.
President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter.
Diana Walker/Getty Images
In 1979, then-President Carter announced that he would run for reelection. "Let us commit ourselves together to a rebirth of the American spirit," he said in the last leg of his speech, before planting a kiss on Rosalynn's cheek.
He lost the 1980 election to his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan.
1980: After Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan, Rosalynn was outspoken in her support of her husband.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.
Wally McNamee/Getty Images
In a discussion about the then-upcoming 1984 election with UPI, Rosalynn said, "I think the most important thing is to beat Reagan. I think it's a tragedy what he has done. I feel sorry for who follows him in office."
She praised the decisions her husband made while in office, saying, "Jimmy made the world a safer place with the Panama Canal Treaty, the Camp David agreement, and SALT 2."
In her memoir, "First Lady from Plains," she added, "I would be out there campaigning right now if Jimmy would run again. I miss the world of politics."
"I'd like people to know that we were right, that what Jimmy Carter was doing was best for our country, and that people made a mistake by not voting for him," she wrote.
January 1981: With daughter Amy, the couple moved back to their modest home in Georgia after leaving the White House.
Jimmy, Rosalynn, and Amy Carter in Plains, Georgia, after leaving the White House.
Chuck Fishman/Getty Images
After Carter lost the 1980 election, the couple moved back to Plains, Georgia, in January 1981.
In 2018, The Washington Post reported that Carter is the only president in recent history to return to the house he lived in before the White House. The couple moved back to the ranch-style home they'd built, which was valued at $167,000 — less than the cost of the Secret Service armored cars that follow him around.
1982: The couple founded The Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization that promotes human rights.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at The Carter Center.
Bromberger Hoover Photography/Getty Images
The Carter Center aims to increase human rights, put an end to human suffering, and promote democracy worldwide. Included in The Carter Center's provisions is a Mental Health Program, which aimed to continue the work that Rosalynn started while her husband held office.
Thirty years after its founding, in 2012, the Carters were interviewed by Georgia Trend, and the former president discussed his intentions for the organization.
"I imagined something like a small Camp David, where a nation that had a civil war going on or where a civil war might break out, could come, and we would negotiate between the two opposing sides to try to bring peace, or prevent a war," he said.
"But we never dreamed when we started 30 years ago that we'd be involved in elections around the world — no one had ever done it before. And we never dreamed that we'd get involved in tropical, neglected diseases, and that has become the overwhelming thing we do," he said.
1984: They worked with Habitat for Humanity for the first time, beginning a decades-long partnership.
Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter during the first Carter Work Project in New York City.
Jim Peppler/Newsday RM via Getty Images
After helping on a project in Americus, Georgia — 10 miles from their hometown, Plains — the Carters "quickly realized that our mission closely aligned with their values," according to Habitat for Humanity.
Later that year, the couple established the Carter Work Project — it would later become known as the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project — by helping renovate a building in New York City.
According to the organization, the Carters have since worked alongside 104,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build and repair more than 4,300 homes.
October 2014: In an interview marking Jimmy Carter's 90th birthday, Rosalynn told People magazine she believed "space" was the key to a lasting marriage.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.
Chris McKay/Getty Images
When asked in the joint People interview for the secret to a long marriage, Rosalynn said, "I'd say space. One of the hardest times was when we came home from the White House. It was the first time we'd been together in the house all day every day. So I got my office in what was a bedroom, and his is in what was the garage."
As for his secrets to a long life, Carter credited exercise and his wife's cooking.
"I exercise and eat right," he said. "My wife is an expert dietitian and a good cook."
Rosalynn added, "I fix fruits and vegetables. Cereal. He never turns down ice cream."
October 2019: After he turned 95, Carter said the secret to a long life was to "marry the best spouse."
The Carters.
AP Photo/David Goldman
In 2019, Carter became the longest-living president in US history. George H.W. Bush, who died in 2018, had lived until 94.
"It's hard to live until you're 95 years old," Carter told People magazine. "I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life."
Jimmy and Rosalynn continued to make public appearances and endorse political candidates.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
The Carters continued to make appearances at high-profile political events including Democratic National Conventions and presidential inaugurations — the last inauguration they attended was Donald Trump's in 2017. The couple also publicly supported Democratic candidates, including Raphael Warnock in the 2020 Senate race.
"President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter's legacy as human rights champions and humanitarians is an inspiration to us all," Warnock wrote on Facebook following the endorsement.
2021: Reflecting on 75 years of marriage, Carter told PBS that if he and Rosalynn experience any "differences" during the day, they "make up and give each other a kiss before we go to sleep."
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity Edmonton.
SOPA Images/Getty Images
"At the end of the day, we try to become reconciled and overcome all the differences that arose during the day," he said in a 2021 interview with PBS.
"We also make up and give each other a kiss before we go to sleep still in bed. And we always read the Bible every night, which adds a different aspect to life. So, we really try to become completely reconciled each night before we go to sleep," Carter added.
In their 2014 interview with People, Carter confirmed they had been reading to each other every night for 40 years.
February 2023: The Carter Center shared that, at 98, Jimmy had entered at-home hospice care, surrounded by his family.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images
In a statement in February 2023, the Carter Center said he "has the full support of his family and his medical team" while receiving at-home hospice care.
In May 2023, their grandson Jason Carter said Carter remained in good spirits and was enjoying peanut-butter ice cream, the Associated Press reported.
"We did think that when he went into hospice it was very close to the end," Jason Carter told attendees at an event honoring his grandfather in May, according to the AP. "Now, I'm just going to tell you, he's going to be 99 in October."
May 2023: Rosalynn was diagnosed with dementia, the Carter Center said.
Rosalynn Carter with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
"The Carter family is sharing that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia," the organization wrote in a statement on its website in May 2023. "She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones."
It added, "We hope sharing our family's news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor's offices around the country."
November 19, 2023: Rosalynn Carter died at the age of 96.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at home in Plains, Georgia.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images
In a statement, the Carter Center wrote that Rosalynn Carter died "peacefully, with her family by her side" at home in Plains, Georgia.
"Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished," Jimmy Carter said of his wife of 77 years. "She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me."
November 28, 2023: Jimmy Carter wore a blanket with his late wife's face on it to her memorial service.
Jimmy Carter at a tribute service for his wife.
Andrew Harnik via AP photos
At Rosalynn Carter's memorial service in Atlanta, Carter attended the event with a blanket over his legs embroidered with images of himself and Rosalynn, captioned "The Carters."
The blanket's design also honored their hometown with the words "Plains, Georgia, Est. 1855" and dogwood flowers that grow throughout Georgia.
Carter slept at the Carter Center the night before the memorial service because "he never wants to be very far from her," Paige Smith, the Carter Center's CEO, told the Associated Press.
"My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," Chip Carter said in a statement released by The Carter Center. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs."
Boeing has faced a near-constant string of hurdles in 2024.
PATRICK T. FALLON/Getty Images
Boeing is having a rough year.
The company has faced mechanical problems, lawsuits, a leadership shake-up, and layoffs.
Here's a breakdown of how Boeing's year has gone from bad to worse.
Boeing has been going through it this year.
From losing a door plug on an Alaska Airlines flight, causing a side panel to blow out in midair, to an exodus of corporate executives, the company has faced a litany of crises in 2024. The company's stock has fallen about 35% this year.
In a message to employees during the company's third-quarter earnings call, Boeing CEO Kely Ortberg said the company was at a "crossroads."
"My mission here is pretty straightforward," she said. "Turn this big ship in the right direction and restore Boeing to the leadership position that we all know and want."
Here's how Boeing's year went from bad to worse.
Emergency on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282
The fuselage plug section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.
NTSB via Reuters
The problems began almost immediately this year when, on January 5, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 lost a door plug midair, blowing a hole in the side of the plane. While no one died in the incident, several passengers were injured, and the pilots were forced to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.
In the aftermath of the incident, the FAA temporarily grounded over 170 of Boeing's 737 Max 9 planes until they could complete safety inspections.
Shareholders filed a lawsuit against Boeing following the Alaska Airlines incident.
Richard Baker/ Getty Images
Boeing was hit with multiple lawsuits this year.
Passengers from the Alaska Airlines flight filed a class action suit against the company just days after the incident.
"Passengers were shocked and confused, thrust into a waking nightmare unsure if these were their last seconds alive," the lawsuit said.
Boeing's shareholders filed a separate class action suit against the company in January, stating that it had prioritized profit over safety, Reuters reported.
Separately, in July, Boeing struck a plea deal related to two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. If a judge had approved the deal, it would have allowedBoeing to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, avoid a trial, pay a fine of about $244 million, and invest at least $455 million in safety and compliance measures.
Boeing agreed to pay $2.5 billion in 2021 in a deal with the federal government to avoid prosecution for the crashes, but Justice Department officials said in May that Boeing had violated portions of the deal, putting a trial back on the table. Relatives of the deceased passengers asked a Texas judge in Octoberto throw out the agreement, which they called a "sweetheart" deal. The families have previously called for the company to pay a fine amounting to nearly $25 billion.
In December, the judge rejected the deal. A lawyer representing families who lost people in the 2019 crash told BI that they "anticipate a significant renegotiation of the plea deal that incorporates terms truly commensurate with the gravity of Boeing's crimes."
FAA audit of Boeing's safety procedures
A Boeing factory based in Washington, DC.
China News Service/Getty Images
The Federal Aviation Administration commissioned a report into Boeing following the fatal 2018 and 2019 crashes — and the results published in February weren't good news for the company.
The FAA report found 27 insufficient areas in Boeing's safety procedures, including no clear system for employees to report safety concerns, confusing management structures, and poor communication with employees about safety procedures.
The latest statement from the FAA about Boeing's compliance to remedy the safety issues was published in August. It said the agency continues "actively monitoring Boeing's progress in a variety of ways," including regular reviews by FAA experts of Boeing's safety procedures and issuing airworthiness certificates for every newly produced Boeing 737 Max.
The FAA itself has faced scrutiny for its oversight of Boeing. A report from the Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General in October found the agency's checks were insufficient.
Exodus of Boeing executives
Former Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
In March, Boeing announced a leadership shake-up.
CEO Dan Calhoun said he would step down. Stan Deal, the CEO of the company's commercial airplanes division, said he would retire. In the same announcement, board chair Larry Kellner announced his plan not to seek reelection.
Stephanie Pope, the company's COO, was promoted to replace Deal shortly after his departure. At the end of July, Kelly Ortbergwas named the company's new CEO.
Ted Colbert, who headed Boeing's defense, space, and security division, became the first prominent executive to leave the company after Ortberg took over. Colbert's departure was announced in September.
Stranded astronauts
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams flew to space on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
NASA
The aerospace company faced another high-profile problem in June when NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams traveled to the International Space Station on Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spaceship. It marked the first time Boeing flew astronauts to space.
The astronauts left Earth on June 5 and were supposed to return after eight days, but issues with Starliner's thrusters and helium leaks caused delays. NASA and Boeing began troubleshooting the problems to bring Wilmore and Williams back home. However, in late July, the two astronauts were still stuck at the International Space Station.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, Steve Stich, said in a press briefing that month that Elon Musk's SpaceX could bring home the astronauts if needed. After working with Boeing to determine whether the two astronauts could safely return to Earth on Starliner, NASA announced in August that it chose SpaceX to do the job instead.
"Spaceflight is risky," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a press conference. "Even at its safest. Even at its most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine. So, the decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station, and bring the Boeing Starliner home un-crewed, is a result of a commitment to safety."
The decision was a major blow to Boeing, which spent $4.2 billion developing Starliner. Wilmore and Williams' flight was the final step Boeing needed to clear for NASA to certify Starliner for human spaceflight. It highlighted just how far Boeing lags behind its competitor, SpaceX.
Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return to Earth in 2025 on SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship, which launched for the International Space Station in September. The astronauts were initially set to return home in February, but NASA announced they would be delayed until March as SpaceX readies its spaceship.
Union strike
Thousands of Boeing union members have been on strike since September 13.
Stephen Brashear/Getty Images
Thousands of unionized Boeing employees walked out in September after contract negotiations broke down.
The strike began despite a promising pay package proposal, which would have raised wages by more than 25% over the contract period for more than 32,000 employees in the Pacific Northwest.
Ultimately, union workers denied the proposal and voted to initiate a strike, which is costing the company about $50 million a day.
Negotiations stalled, with both sides filing National Labor Relations Board violations accusing the other of negotiating in bad faith.
Boeing and union leaders reached a tentative deal on October 19 that included a 35% general wage increase spread over four years and a one-time ratification bonus of $7,000.
"After 10 years of sacrifice, we still have ground to make up. We hope to resume negotiations promptly," the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said on X.
The 53-day strike ended in early November when workers approved a new contract.
Layoffs
Boeing cut 10% of its staff in October.
Jennifer Buchanan/POOL/AFP/Getty Images
Boeing began furloughs of white-collar workers in mid-September after the strike began. Select employees were required to take one week off every four weeks on a rolling basis.
Ortberg, in a staff memo, also announced that executive leadership would take a "commensurate pay reduction for the duration of the strike," though details of the pay reduction remain unclear.
Layoffs began several weeks later. In mid-October, Boeing announced plans to lay off about 10% of its 170,000-member workforce.
In a memo to employees, Ortberg said Boeing was in a "difficult position" and that "restoring our company requires tough decisions."
The company also delayed production of its 777X twin-engine jet and discontinued production of its 767 cargo plane, the memo noted.
Production delays with the Boeing 777X plane
A Boeing 777X in flight.
GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images
The experimental 777X is Boeing's newest widebody plane, banking 481 orders from more than a dozen global carriers even though regulators have not yet approved it to fly passengers.
But the aircraft has been riddled with production problems — like supply chain issues, design troubles, and now the ongoing strike — which have already put it five years behind schedule and set Boeing back $1.5 billion.
That hole will likely deepen with the latest entry delay to 2026, further eroding the industry's trust in Boeing's 777X program. It could also push carriers to choose Boeing's European rival Airbus and its already-in-service Airbus A350.
The aircraft is still uncertified but started certification flight testing in July. Testing was halted in August due to a problem with a key part that connects the engine to the aircraft, CNBC reported.
Production troubles with Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft
Boeing is struggling with 737 MAX production.
JULIEN DE ROSA/Getty Images
The FAA announced in January that it would not grant any production expansions of Boeing's MAX aircraft, including the 737 MAX 9, following the emergency on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.
"The Jan. 5 Boeing 737-9 MAX incident must never happen again," the FAA said in a press release said.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said Boeing would not be cleared to expand production or add additional production lines for the 737 MAX "until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved," according to the press release.
Boeing held a three-hour meeting with the FAA in June to address safety and quality concerns. Afterward, Whitaker spoke at a press conference, where he told a reporter that expanding production of 737 MAX planes was still up in the air.
The FAA told Business Insider, "This is about systemic change, and there's a lot of work to be done. Boeing must meet milestones, and the timing of our decisions will be driven by their ability to do so."
The agency added: "Boeing has delivered a roadmap to change its safety culture, and the FAA will make sure Boeing implements the changes they have outlined. We will not approve production increases beyond the current cap until we're satisfied they've followed through on implementing corrective actions and transforming their safety culture."
Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer, testified at an April Senate hearing that the company ignored his reports on safety concerns, that his boss retaliated against him, and that he received threats against his physical safety.
The Senate subcommittee investigating Boeing's safety and quality practices released a 204-page report in June. The report included accounts from several whistleblowers.
Sam Mohawk, a Boeing quality assurance inspector, said the company lost track of hundreds of bad 737 parts and instructed employees to conceal improperly stored plane parts from FAA inspectors.
Another whistleblower, Richard Cuevas, wrote in a June complaint to the FAA that holes were being incorrectly drilled on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes.
Money woes
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
In a sign of how Boeing's problems have hurt its bottom line, the company said in a regulatory filing to the SEC in October that it had entered a $10 billion credit agreement with four major banks: JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Citibank.
The company also filed a prospectus saying it might sell up to $25 billion in securities.
"These are two prudent steps to support the company's access to liquidity," Boeing said in a statement.
While workers were on strike, Bank of America analysts estimated that thework stoppage cost Boeing $50 million a day.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle are outspoken supporters of President-elect Donald Trump.
Mandel Ngan/Getty Images
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle began dating in 2018 and became a GOP power couple.
Page Six reported their breakup in December after Trump Jr. was seen with a Florida socialite.
Donald Trump chose Guilfoyle to serve as ambassador to Greece in his administration.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle have reportedly broken up after six years of dating.
Trump Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's oldest son, and Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign advisor and former Fox News host, began dating in 2018. Guilfoyle confirmed their engagement in 2022.
Once called "the prom king and queen of MAGA land," the pair bolstered Donald Trump's 2024 presidential run with primetime addresses at the Republican National Convention and appeared at rallies across the US in support of Trump's campaign.
In December, Trump Jr. was photographed holding hands with Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson. He stopped short of confirming that his relationship with Guilfoyle had ended, but said in a statement to Page Six that "Kimberly and I will never stop caring for each other and will always keep a special bond."
Guilfoyle will remain in the Trump orbit as the president-elect's pick for ambassador to Greece.
Trump Jr., Guilfoyle, and Anderson did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.
Here's a timeline of Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle's relationship.
November 2007: Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle ran in the same circles before they started dating.
Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump (left) with Kimberly Guilfoyle (second from right) at an event in New York City.
NEIL RASMUS/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. were photographed together at events in New York City in 2007 and 2008. At the time, they were in other relationships.
Guilfoyle was married to Democratic politician Gavin Newsom from 2001 to 2006, and she was first lady of San Francisco during his time as mayor. After they divorced, she married businessman Eric Villency in 2006 and had a son in 2007. The couple divorced in 2009.
Trump Jr. married model Vanessa Haydon in 2005. They divorced in March 2018 and share five children.
June 2008: They posed for another photo with their then-spouses at an event in New York City.
Donald Trump Jr. (second from left), Vanessa Trump (middle), Eric Villency (third from left), and Kimberly Guilfoyle (right).
Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images
The Washington Post reported that Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. became friends when her son, Ronan, went to the same private school in Manhattan as his oldest daughter, Kai.
May 2018: Three months after Trump Jr.'s wife Vanessa filed for divorce, Page Six reported that he and Guilfoyle were dating.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Steven Ferdman/Getty Images, Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Taoray Wang
Guilfoyle started as a legal analyst at CNN and eventually became a co-host on the Fox News show "The Five." She left Fox News in 2018 amid reports of sexual harassment, for which the network paid her former assistant a multimillion-dollar settlement, and joined the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action.
Guilfoyle had been connected to the Trump family for years and was in talks to become the White House press secretary, USA Today reported.
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle began dating in April 2018. That May, Page Six reported that they made their debut as a couple at a send-off party for the Trump administration's ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell.
June 2018: They made their relationship Instagram official.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a rally.
Bob Levey/Getty Images for Left/Right TV
Trump Jr. posted their first Instagram photo together with Bret Michaels of the band Poison. Guilfoyle also shared the image on her profile.
June 2018: Guilfoyle accompanied Trump Jr. to the Montana Republican Convention.
Kimberly Guilfoyle in Montana.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Trump Jr. thanked Guilfoyle in his convention speech as his "significant other," Vanity Fair reported.
"We're going to take her fishing tomorrow, then shooting," he said. "This is a miniature test to see if she really likes it, or if she's going to pretend to like it, but either way we're going to have a good time — or at least I will."
August 2018: Page Six reported that they had nicknamed each other "Pooh Bear" and "Junior Mint."
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a film premiere.
Shannon Finney/Getty Images
Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. were overheard calling each other pet names during a weekend in Southampton, New York, Page Six reported. Guilfoyle reportedly called Trump Jr. "Junior Mint," which Page Six speculated was a reference to his bank account, and Trump Jr. dubbed Guilfoyle "Pooh Bear."
September 2018: They returned to Montana to campaign for Matt Rosendale, the Republican challenger of incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a campaign rally for Montana Senate candidate Matt Rosendale.
William Campbell-Corbis via Getty Images
Rosendale lost the 2018 midterm election, and Tester was reelected to a third term in the US Senate.
November 2018: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle walked arm-in-arm at the National Christmas Tree lighting on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Donald Trump, Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at lighting of the National Christmas Tree.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
The tree lighting featured performances from Abby Anderson, "The Voice" contestant Spensha Baker, and "American Idol" contestant Gabby Barrett, according to the event's official website.
February 2019: They attended New York Fashion Week together.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at New York Fashion Week.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle sat in the front row at a Zang Toi runway show.
May 2019: After joining the Trump campaign as a senior advisor in April, Guilfoyle made several appearances at rallies.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a Trump rally.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
Guilfoyle spoke at a rally at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, in May 2019, and Trump's 2020 campaign kick-off rally in Orlando that June. She and Trump Jr. were side-by-side at the events.
"She's definitely made Don Jr. more serious," R. Couri Hay, a New York publicist, told Business Insider as part of a profile on Guilfoyle. "She's had years and years on TV. She's helped guide and train and been very influential in Don's increasingly very secure, very formidable, very opinionated television personality."
"They are like the prom king and queen of MAGA land," a senior Trump advisor told Business Insider.
October 2019: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle embraced onstage while speaking at the University of Florida.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at the University of Florida.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle were paid $50,000 from student activity fees for their appearance, The Washington Post reported. The event drew hundreds of student protesters outside the auditorium.
November 2019: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle were asked about their marriage plans during a joint appearance on "The View."
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle on "The View."
Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images
"You and your family have hurt a lot of people and put a lot of people through a lot of pain," co-host Meghan McCain said to Trump Jr., naming Trump's attacks on a family whose son was killed while serving in the US Army in Iraq. "Does all of this make you feel good?"
Trump Jr. replied, "I don't think any of that makes me feel good, but I do think that we got into this because we wanted to do what's right for America."
In an attempt to "end on a light note," co-host Abby Huntsman asked Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. about when they're getting married.
"Oh my God," Guilfoyle said, grinning at Trump Jr. and saying they were more focused on getting Trump reelected.
August 2020: Trump Jr. watched Guilfoyle record her heated speech for the Republican National Convention.
Donald Trump Jr. watched Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention in 2020.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
"President Trump is the leader who will rebuild the promise of America and ensure that every citizen can realize their American dream!" Guilfoyle said in her RNC speech. "Ladies and gentlemen, leaders and fighters for freedom and liberty and the American dream, the best is yet to come!"
August 2020: They kissed onstage at a rally in Coplay, Pennsylvania.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a Sportsmen for Trump event.
Preston Ehrler/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle — both avid hunters — marked the launch of a coalition called Sportsmen for Trump.
October 2020: Guilfoyle joined Trump Jr. for a signing of his self-published book, "Liberal Privilege."
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a book signing to promote his book "Liberal Privilege."
Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Trump Jr. held the book signing at a Marriott Hotel in Long Island, New York.
December 2020: Guilfoyle appeared in a Facebook Live video on Trump Jr.'s Facebook page wishing followers a merry Christmas.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle snap a selfie.
Paul Morigi/Getty Images
As they expressed their gratitude to veterans and members of the military, Trump Jr. also joked on the Facebook Live stream that he was "reasonably thankful for Kimberly."
He also called Guilfoyle the "voice of reason" who makes sure that his tweets stay in check.
January 2021: They showed some PDA while campaigning before the Senate runoff in Georgia.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle campaign in Dalton, Georgia, in January 2021.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle kissed during a Republican National Committee Victory Rally at Dalton Regional Airport in Georgia.
Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock beat respective Republican challengers David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in the runoff election.
January 2021: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration and began looking for homes in Florida.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle exit Air Force One.
Noam Galai/Getty Images
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle skipped Biden's inauguration along with most of the Trump family, instead flying to Mar-a-Lago on Air Force One.
Upon arriving in Palm Beach, the couple began looking for waterfront homes in Admirals Cove, a gated community in Jupiter, Florida, The Palm Beach Post reported. They were reportedly in contracts to buy an $11 million seven-bedroom, 12-bathroom home that featured a wine room, theater, chef's kitchen, and guest wings. Guilfoyle herself was also looking at the $9.5 million two-story home next door that had six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms.
February 2021: Guilfoyle introduced Trump Jr.'s address at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at CPAC.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Trump Jr.'s speech, titled "Reigniting the Spirit of the American Dream," covered cancel culture, Liz Cheney, and "the MAGA movement as the future of the Republican Party."
March 2021: As their search for a Florida property continued, Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle sold their house in the Hamptons for $8 million.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle's former home in the Hamptons.
Rise Media
The 9,200-square-foot Bridgehampton home sits on nearly 4 acres in a private gated community. It has seven bedrooms plus a heated outdoor pool, spa, and waterfall.
April 2021: The couple purchased a $9.7 million home in the gated Admirals Cove neighborhood of Jupiter, Florida, about 20 minutes from Mar-a-Lago.
Donald Trump Jr and Kimberly Guilfoyle at Mar-a-Lago.
NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images
The 11,300-square-foot waterfront estate features six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, People magazine reported.
January 2022: Guilfoyle posted a photo with Trump Jr. where she appeared to be wearing a diamond ring on her left ring finger, sparking reports that the two had gotten engaged.
A close-up of Kimberly Guilfoyle's engagement ring.
Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
"Tonight was extra special celebrating @donaldjtrumpjr's birthday," Guilfoyle captioned the Instagram photo. "Don, you are strong, smart, courageous, funny and the love of my life. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together. Love you."
An unnamed source told The Daily Mail in January 2022 that the pair quietly got engaged on New Year's Eve in 2020, but neither Trump Jr. nor Guilfoyle had confirmed their engagement publicly.
"Kim has been wearing her engagement ring and both are very excited about blending their families," a source told People magazine.
February 2022: Guilfoyle confirmed their engagement in an Instagram post calling Trump Jr. her fiancé.
Kimberly Guilfoyle and Donald Trump Jr. at CPAC.
Octavio Jones/Reuters
"Falling in love with my fiancé more and more every day," Guilfoyle wrote in a Valentine's Day Instagram post. "@donaldjtrumpjr, you're my best friend, my support system and my forever guy. Happy Valentine's Day, I love you and can't wait for the adventures that lie ahead."
November 2022: Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. attended Trump's 2024 campaign launch event.
Kimberly Guilfoyle with members of the Trump family.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Eric Trump, Lara Trump, and Jared Kushner were also in attendance, but Ivanka Trump skipped the event, saying in a statement that she was stepping back from politics.
December 2022: In an interview with Metropolitan Palm Beach magazine, Guilfoyle said she is "very traditional" in her relationship with Trump Jr.
Kimberly Guilfoyle and Donald Trump Jr. at CPAC.
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
"I love taking care of Don, the way I saw my mother lovingly take care of my father," Guilfoyle told Metropolitan Palm Beach magazine. "I go out of my way to make sure he has everything he needs — making coffee in the morning, cooking our favorite meals, doing our families' laundry, and caring for our home."
Guilfoyle also said that Trump Jr. loves that she is "traditional yet fiercely independent."
November 2023: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle hit the campaign trail for Trump, appearing at a rally in Hialeah, Florida.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a rally in Florida.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
"America is Trump country!" Guilfoyle said in her speech.
April 2024: Trump Jr. marked their six-year anniversary on Instagram.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle in London.
Justin E Palmer/GC Images
"Thanks for always being there no matter what the haters are throwing our way," Trump Jr. wrote on Instagram. "I love you."
The caption was accompanied by photos of Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle engaged in their hobbies of fishing and shooting, as well as a photo of them at the White House.
July 2024: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle both spoke on the third night of the Republican National Convention.
Kimberly Guilfoyle and Donald Trump Jr. at the Republican National Convention.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Guilfoyle delivered a forceful RNC speech, warning viewers that the country is "closer to World War III than any time in my life."
Trump Jr. was introduced by his daughter, 17-year-old Kai Trump. He praised his father's bravery after the Pennsylvania shooting, calling him "Trump tough."
September 2024: Trump Jr. was spotted with Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson, sparking speculation that his relationship with Guilfoyle had ended.
Bettina Anderson.
John Parra/Getty Images
In September, the Daily Mail reported that Trump Jr. was seen eating brunch with Bettina Anderson, a model, socialite, and founder and executive director of the wildlife conservation nonprofit Project Paradise. The outlet reported that Anderson was seen kissing Trump Jr. during their meal, raising questions about his relationship status with Guilfoyle.
Anderson did not respond to a request for comment.
November 2024: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle appeared together at Trump's election night celebration after he won the race.
From left to right: Tiffany Trump, Michael Boulos, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Donald Trump Jr.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Amid rumors about their relationship, Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. continued to appear publicly together. They joined other Trump family members in celebrating Trump's victory on election night in Palm Beach.
December 2024: The day after Trump Jr. was seen holding hands with Anderson in Palm Beach, Trump announced Guilfoyle as his pick for ambassador to Greece.
Kimberly Guilfoyle at Mar-a-Lago.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
Trump Jr. and Anderson were photographed leaving a Palm Beach restaurant while holding hands on Anderson's birthday, the Daily Mail reported. Anderson also tagged Trump Jr. in a photo on her Instagram story of a bouquet of flowers with a card reading, "Many have said you're aging out but I think you're perfect...happy birthday!"
The following day, Donald Trump announced he'd chosen Guilfoyle to serve as ambassador to Greece in his second White House administration.
"For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make her supremely qualified to represent the United States, and safeguard its interests abroad."
"I am so proud of Kimberly," he wrote. "She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First."
December 2024: In a statement to Page Six, Trump Jr. did not confirm his breakup with Guilfoyle but said that they "will never stop caring for each other."
Donald Trump Jr. at Mar-a-Lago.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Trump Jr. told Page Six that he and Guilfoyle "will always keep a special bond" and that he "could not be more proud of her and the important role she'll continue to play in my father's administration."
"She's been an undefeated prosecutor, national TV news star, a leader of the MAGA movement and close advisor to the president," he added. "The people of Greece are getting an absolute star and now the whole world will see it more than ever."
Guilfoyle did not share a statement with Page Six and did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.