A MAGA congressman has been accused of years of physical abuse against his ex-wife, the daughter of a prominent Republican senator.
Rep. Max Miller, who strenuously denies the allegations, was elected to represent Ohio’s 7th District in 2022, with Donald Trump’s endorsement. He had previously worked on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and was appointed to several roles during the first Trump administration before working on Trump’s failed 2020 re-election campaign.
According to court filings obtained by the Daily Mail and three sources who spoke to the outlet, Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno—daughter of Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno—has sought changes to their custody arrangement as a result of her growing concerns about his “dangerous physical behavior” in their daughter’s presence.
According to the newspaper, the latest incident took place on Feb. 1 of this year. Moreno, 32, alleges that Miller, 37, struck her during a custody exchange at his home in full view of the couple’s 2-year-old daughter, leaving bruises on her arm, elbow, and torso.
The Daily Mail obtained photos that show redness and bruising on Emily’s body after the alleged incident.
Images obtained by the Daily Mail show injuries that Emily Moreno, ex-wife of Rep. Max Miller, documented on her arms and torso after an alleged attack by Miller on Feb. 1, 2026. Emily Moreno/The Daily Mail+
Miller has denied the allegations in the Mail’s report. Emily Moreno/The Daily Mail+
The Bay Village Police Department confirmed to the Daily Beast that it responded to a report of child abuse on that day and that an investigation remains open.
In an earlier incident that Moreno claims took place in June 2024, Miller allegedly threw a pot of boiling water at her, some of it hitting her chest, while their daughter was present. Photos obtained by the Daily Mail show redness on Moreno’s chest.
Images obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail show injuries that Emily Moreno, ex-wife of Rep. Max Miller, documented. Emily Moreno/The Daily Mail+
After separating in 2024, the pair reached a divorce settlement in June 2025, agreeing to share joint custody of their daughter. Miller is required to pay $2,500 per month in child support.
In court documents obtained by TMZ in April, Moreno claimed that Miller “regularly speaks to me in an inappropriate, aggressive and demeaning manner, which is not in the best interest of our child.”
She continued, alleging that Miller “has conducted dangerous physical behavior in the child’s presence.”
“I do not believe it is in our child’s best interest for [Miller] and me to jointly make a decision for her,” expressing concern that attempting to make joint decisions would “cause direct harm” to their daughter.
Miller is the grandson of businessman Samuel Henry Miller, a multimillionaire Cleveland property tycoon, and his grandmother previously ran for Congress. Moreno’s father, Bernie, 59, is a multimillionaire car salesman born in Colombia. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2024.
Miller was elected to Congress in 2023 with President Donald Trump's endorsement. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
In a letter Miller reportedly wrote to Emily Moreno on the same day as the alleged boiling water incident, the congressman apologized for failing to protect Moreno, but did not admit to any abuse.
In the letter, reviewed by the Daily Mail, the 37-year-old calls himself worthless, says his guilt is “eating him alive,” and repeatedly tells Moreno that he loves her.
“I don’t know what to do. I do know you love me, protect me, and care for me. I failed to do that for you,” Miller allegedly wrote in the letter. “I’m sorry and I just want to close my eyes and wake up and everything be normal.”
“I know that won’t happen,” it continues. “I’m sorry I failed you and Ruth. It’s eating me alive. I love you, even if you think I don’t. I love you so much. I’m so sorry. I’m just a f--- up and worthless.”
Max Miller and ex-wife Emily Moreno Miller. MaxMillerOH/X
Moreno’s attorney, Andrew Zashin, told the Daily Mail that his client stands by her account of Miller’s assault and that the evidence speaks for itself.
“These images, combined with the documented history in court filings, directly contradict years of Mr. Miller’s denial,” he said. “Any claim that Ms. Moreno fabricated these allegations collapses in the face of contemporaneous physical evidence.”
“It is unfortunate that these matters have become public when Ms. Moreno has made every effort to keep them private and out of court for the sake of their daughter,” he continued. “But the ongoing pattern of behavior, coupled with the continued denials, has made silence no longer possible.”
Zashin declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Beast.
The Daily Beast has contacted Miller’s legal representatives for comment. When contacted by the Daily Mail, Miller’s attorney, Adam Brown, denied the allegations, telling the outlet he would provide evidence responding to Moreno’s claims. It was not provided prior to publication.
Miller and Moreno finalized their divorce in June 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Miller published a lengthy thread on X on Thursday evening, rejecting the claims detailed in the Daily Mail’s report. He accused the outlet of being “stenographers for someone who truly needs help.”
His evidence included an email sent by his lawyers to the Daily Mail, transcripts of audio recordings of conversations between Miller and Moreno, and footage of Moreno leaving Miller’s home after the alleged incident on Feb. 1. He also accused Moreno of extortion.
“The moral of the story is this,” Miller wrote. “My ex-wife needs help. She is more focused on hurting me than loving our child.”
Miller married Moreno in 2022 at a ceremony at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey. Trump was among the guests.
Trump appeared at a rally in support of Miller's congressional campaign in 2021. Scott Olson/Getty Images
Moreno’s father is a Trump critic turned vocal supporter, who advocated for the president to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran last year.
During Moreno and Miller’s bitter divorce battle, Miller accused Moreno of stalling their divorce so that financial documents involving her father, including documents that allegedly proved he provided her financial support, would not be produced before Election Day. Miller subsequently subpoenaed his in-laws, seeking documentation of said financial support.
A document filed by Miller’s lawyer in October 2024 read, “Defendant has displayed more concern about how this case may impact her father’s election than about the best interests of [the couple’s daughter] and allowing this litigation to proceed expeditiously.”
The Daily Beast has contacted Sen. Moreno’s office for comment.
Bernie Moreno, Emily's father, has served as senator for Ohio since January 2025. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Miller has faced similar accusations in the past. His ex-girlfriend, former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, 49, alleged that he pushed her against a wall and slapped her after she accused him of cheating in 2020.
His lawyer denied that the incident ever occurred. A court denied Miller’s application for a restraining order against Grisham, and Miller voluntarily dropped his defamation suit against Grisham in 2023.
In a 2021 opinion piece for the Washington Post, Grisham alleged that the Trumps were aware that her relationship with Miller had turned abusive, but that they did not care.
“I felt that Mrs. Trump believed my story,” Grisham wrote. “I suspected the president, long invested in the view that women usually make up allegations of assault, didn’t want to believe it.”
Stephanie Grisham resigned following the events of January 6, 2021, and became a critic of the Trump administration, later speaking at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
“The point is that the president and first lady seemed totally unfazed about whether there was an abuser—another abuser—in their workplace,” she added, referring to White House staffers Rob Porter and David Sorensen, both of whom resigned in 2018 after their ex-wives accused them of abuse.
In a post on Thursday after the Daily Mail report was published, Grisham re-shared an older post of hers on X. “Re-upping this,” she noted.