Donald Trump reportedly warned embattled Rep. Max Miller that his reelection campaign was “not looking good” as the Ohio Republican faces abuse allegations from his ex-wife.
Trump had publicly said he would be “looking into” the claims that have thrown Miller’s campaign into turmoil, and Axios reported that the president spoke with Miller by phone on Monday.
During that call, Trump told Miller that “things aren’t looking good” and suggested he was heading into a difficult reelection fight, according to the report.
Miller pushed back, telling Trump that his pollsters believe he remains in a strong position and that he intends to stay in the race.
Trump also defended Miller when he was asked Monday in the Oval Office at the White House about the domestic abuse allegations.
“It’s a very sad thing. I know Max, he’s a good person, I always thought he was a very good person and I’m going to let the families figure it out,” Trump said.
“It’s a very sad thing. It’s accusations. And I’m going to let them figure it out.”
Trump had told reporters Sunday night that he had “just learned about” the allegations when he was asked about them aboard Air Force One.
‘I’m going to look at it. I mean, so far, it’s accusations. I’ll be looking at it, yep,’ Trump told reporters, without answering whether or not Miller should resign on Sunday.
Donald Trump reportedly told under-fire Representative Max Miller that his campaign is ‘not looking good’ amid abuse allegations from his ex-wife. Ohio Congressman Max Miller addressed on Sunday morning allegations of abuse made against him by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno
While Trump had said he would be ‘looking into’ the allegations, he spoke to Miller on the phone Monday, Axios reported citing multiple sources familiar with the call
Miller’s congressional seat, Ohio’s 7th district, is currently rated ‘Likely Republican’ by the Cook Political Report.
It was moved from the ‘Solid Republican’ category on June 18th of this year, and has a partisan voter index of R+5. Miller won his race in 2024 with 51.1 percent of the vote.
Brian Poindexter, the Democratic nominee in the seat who made it through the primary with the help of backers like Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna, wrote on X Sunday after Miller’s address that ‘no one credibly accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head and breaking their two-year-old daughter’s collarbone belongs in the halls of power.’ Miller has denied such allegations.
Republican JR Majweski, who ran in Ohio’s 9th district in 2024, has indicated that he would run for Miller’s seat if the incumbent were to drop out.
The deadline for Ohio Republicans to start the process to replace Miller on the ballot is this Wednesday, August 5, at 4:00 PM.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House and Miller’s legal team for comment.
In a lengthy livestream on X Sunday morning, Miller wholly denied all allegations of physical abuse that his wife, Emily Moreno, daughter of Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, has been accusing him of for the last few years since their divorce.
After the bombshell broadcast, Emily’s father claimed that Miller has ‘privately admitted’ he ‘needs serious psychological help,’ and called his former son-in-law a ‘danger.’
Photos obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail earlier this year show the injuries Emily documented on her arms and torso the day of the alleged incident, with additional images taken the following day, February 2
Senator Moreno also shared his view that his former son-in-law should not continue to serve in elected office, despite his past backing.
‘If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,’ the elder Moreno wrote.
‘He should not serve in the House of Representatives. I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does,’ Senator Moreno added in his Sunday post on X.
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Miller hit back in a post of his own Sunday, writing: ‘If my daughter said the same thing to me, I personally wouldn’t wait two years before holding him accountable.
‘You know this isn’t true and the only reason you are speaking out now is to hide from your own media circus. This is all political,’ he added.
Moreno did not specify what he meant by scandal, though in 2024, Moreno faced questions over a 2008 ad on Adult Friend Finder seeking gay sex.
When contacted by The Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Senator Moreno redirected us to his statement earlier Sunday in response to the livestream.
Miller also released years of audio and video recordings of various moments in his relationship with his ex-wife, attempting to prove his innocence to the public.
After the bombshell broadcast, Emily’s father, sitting Senator Bernie Moreno, (pictured) claimed that Miller has ‘privately admitted’ he ‘needs serious psychological help,’ and called his former son-in-law a ‘danger’
In the video he released on Sunday, Miller insisted that he will not drop out of the race, stating: ‘I’m winning in November.’
Miller’s office told the Daily Mail, ‘Other parties have chosen to relentlessly defame him and now he is sticking up for himself. ‘
‘All of the allegations that have been made against him have been found to be unsubstantiated,’ said his Deputy Chief Abigail Angelos.
Miller has also been accused by Emily Moreno of physically abusing her and their young daughter, which he has denied.
He denied all allegations made against him by his ex-wife during his livestream and said that he will provide evidence to prove his innocence.
‘Let me begin with the most painful accusation of all, I have never abused our daughter,’ Miller stated, clearly reading off a script during his Sunday address.
‘I also want to address the allegations of domestic abuse. I categorically deny abusing my former wife,’ he continued.
Emails between the former partners revealed that Moreno asked him why their daughter had what appeared to be a bruise on her neck.
Congressman Miller and his ex-wife Moreno reached a divorce settlement in June 2025 and agreed to joint custody of their daughter, as well as $2,500 per month in child support from Miller. On Thursday, Moreno filed a restraining order on behalf of her attorney against Miller
Miller told Moreno the two were ‘going finger painting,’ and provided images of the activity both to his ex-wife at the time, documents he released to the public showed.
The ‘fingerpainting’ exchange allegedly took place ‘just two weeks ago in mid-July.’ Miller added that Moreno took their ‘daughter to the hospital,’ and that ‘she could not wait to take her to the emergency room.’
In his speech on Sunday, Miller defiantly stated that Emily Moreno’s allegations of abuse ‘are incredibly serious criminal accusations, concluding, If these accusations were true, I would be in jail. I would be.’ No criminal charges have been brought against Miller.
A number of times during his remarks, Miller seemed to struggle to read his prepared remarks.
In response to Miller’s video, Emily Moreno’s spokesman, Stefan Mychajliw, wrote on X that ‘no loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career.’
