Fox News host Jesse Watters faces awkward questions after his wife’s Instagram post

Jesse Watters is facing fresh criticism over his description of his latest absence from Fox News. Reports say the “Jesse Watters Primetime” host told viewers he would be away on an “assignment,” but his wife, Emma Watters, later posted a family photo from LIV Golf New York with the caption “LIV.”

The Aug. 10 post prompted some commenters to question whether Watters had given viewers a misleading impression about his absence. The latest backlash adds to a series of controversies involving his public remarks about marriage, women, and relationships, as well as renewed attention to his own marital history.

A Fox News host known for controversy

Jesse Watters joined Fox News in 2002 as a production assistant and made his on-camera debut the following year as a correspondent on “The O’Reilly Factor.” He became known for man-on-the-street interviews in the “Watters’ World” segment, which later expanded into its own program.

Today, Watters co-hosts “The Five” and hosts “Jesse Watters Primetime.” Fox lists the programs at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET on weekdays. Some praise his bluntness while others call it out of touch.

Watters frequently comments on family life, masculinity, and gender roles, and several of those remarks have generated public criticism. His personal history has also become part of that discussion when his commentary turns to marriage, fidelity, and relationships.

The affair that preceded his first divorce

Watters married Noelle Inguagiato in 2009, and the couple shares twin daughters. Inguagiato filed for divorce in 2018 after Watters acknowledged having an affair with Emma DiGiovine, a producer on his show. Their divorce was finalized in March 2019.

Fox News said Watters voluntarily reported the consensual workplace relationship to human resources in November 2017. The network then transferred DiGiovine to another program. Watters and DiGiovine married in December 2019 and now share 2 children.

In 2022, Watters said on “The Five” that he had let air out of DiGiovine’s tires while trying to date her so that she would need a ride. After the story drew attention, however, Watters said the anecdote had been a joke and that he had never actually deflated anyone’s tires.

A campaign ad sparks a strange comparison

In October 2024, Watters discussed a Vote Common Good political ad narrated by Julia Roberts. The ad showed a woman privately voting for Kamala Harris despite the apparent expectation that she would support Donald Trump and emphasized that a person’s vote remains private.

During “The Five,” Watters said that if he discovered Emma had secretly voted for Harris after leading him to believe otherwise, it would be “the same thing as having an affair.” He also said it would violate the sanctity of their marriage. Co-host Jeanine Pirro responded by asking why his wife would lie to him.

The comments drew widespread coverage, with reports noting the contrast between Watters’ remarks about marital fidelity and the affair that preceded the end of his first marriage.

Public backlash follows the voting comments

Clips of Watters’ remarks circulated online, where critics revisited his own marital history while reacting to his comparison between a secret vote and an affair. The comments ranged from mocking to genuinely critical.

Political strategist Mike Nellis was among those who shared the clip and highlighted Watters’ statement that a vote for Harris would violate the sanctity of his marriage. News coverage of the episode also noted Watters’ previous affair with DiGiovine, which became public during his first marriage.

The reaction showed how quickly Watters’ personal history became part of the discussion when his commentary turned to marriage and fidelity. The moment became a recurring reference point in later coverage of Watters.

Comments on educated single women draw criticism

In July 2026, Watters drew criticism for remarks about women pursuing advanced degrees. During “The Five,” he argued that taking on debt for graduate degrees in fields such as the humanities or social sciences could leave some women struggling financially and make dating more difficult.

Watters said men do not place a Ph.D. high on their list of desirable attributes and predicted that some highly educated single women would become “resentful” and “bitter.” He went on to describe such women as becoming “angry” and “ugly” with a bad attitude.

The remarks generated criticism and prompted renewed scrutiny of Watters’ views about women and relationships. The episode added to a growing list of similar controversies.

Fun fact: Watters was born and raised in Philadelphia. He told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he first lived in Germantown before his family moved to East Falls when he was around 6 to 8 years old.

A pattern of bold on-air remarks

Watters has repeatedly drawn attention for comments about gender and relationships. In January 2025, after showing a photo of Kamala Harris grocery shopping with her husband, Doug Emhoff, he asked, “What kind of husband goes grocery shopping with his wife?” The remark drew criticism online.

In January 2026, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she would not appear on Watters’ show because, she said, he had “sexualized and harassed” her on air. She pointed to an October 2025 segment in which Watters said he thought she wanted to sleep with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

John Oliver also mocked Watters’ personal history in June 2026 while criticizing his coverage of problems at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Oliver referenced Watters’ first marriage and his mother’s decision not to invite him to Thanksgiving.

His wife’s LIV post fuels the latest backlash

The latest controversy began after reports said Watters had told viewers he would be away from Fox News on an “assignment.” On Aug. 10, Emma Watters posted an Instagram photo showing the family at LIV Golf New York and captioned it simply, “LIV.”

The golf tournament had taken place from Aug. 6-9 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey. After Emma’s photo appeared, several commenters questioned Watters’ description of his absence and accused him of misleading viewers.

Emma’s post did not explain whether Watters had any work-related duties at the event. Even so, the family photo prompted a fresh round of questions about what he meant by describing his absence as an “assignment.”

Why Watters remains a polarizing figure

Watters’ commentary continues to generate attention and criticism, particularly when he discusses women, masculinity, and relationships. His July 2026 comments about highly educated single women are one recent example, drawing backlash after he predicted that some would become resentful and bitter.

Despite recurring controversies, Watters remains one of Fox News’ most prominent personalities. He hosts “Jesse Watters Primetime” at 8 p.m. ET and co-hosts “The Five” at 5 p.m. ET on weekdays.

The combination of a large television platform and frequently provocative commentary means his remarks regularly become subjects of wider media discussion beyond the original Fox News segments. Others expect hosts to hold themselves to the same standards they apply to others.

Little-known fact: In 2016, Watters faced major backlash for a Chinatown segment accused of leaning on racist stereotypes.

TL;DR

• Jesse Watters is a longtime Fox News host known for provocative comments about marriage and gender roles.
• His first marriage ended after his affair with producer Emma DiGiovine became public; he later married DiGiovine in December 2019.
• In 2024, he compared his wife secretly voting for Kamala Harris to having an affair.
• In July 2026, he faced fresh backlash for comments about highly educated single women.
• In August 2026, Emma Watters’ LIV Golf post prompted commenters to question his description of his Fox News absence.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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