Rep. Byron Donalds faced criticism after his wife’s Valentine’s Day post recalled meeting him in fall 1999 and their first date on Valentine’s Day 2000—dates that conflict with public records showing he married his first wife on June 15, 1999. The revelation prompted social-media backlash and resurfaced Bisa Hall’s account of a messy marriage and divorce. The story arrives as Donalds campaigns for Florida governor with former President Trump’s endorsement, and it follows earlier controversies and past legal matters.
Florida GOP Candidate Faces Backlash After Wife’s Valentine’s Post Reveals Timeline
Michael M Santiago/Getty Images / Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images(Michael M Santiago/Getty Images)
A Florida congressman running for governor drew renewed scrutiny after his wife’s Valentine’s Day social-media post prompted questions about when their relationship began.
Erika Donalds just wanted to publicly celebrate her relationship with Byron. It didn't turn out quite as planned. / X
What the Posts Said
Erika Donalds, 46, shared a nostalgic photograph on X (formerly Twitter) recalling how she and now-husband Rep. Byron Donalds first met at Florida State University’s Oglesby Student Union in the fall of 1999. She wrote that Mr. Donalds asked for her number and that their first romantic outing occurred on Valentine’s Day 2000.
Donalds and Erika attended a high-profile MAGA wedding at Mar-a-Lago two weeks ago. / SAUL LOEB / SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images
Byron Donalds, 47, reposted his wife’s tribute to his roughly 1.1 million followers and added, “I remember that day. You were beautiful then, and you are still beautiful now. I love you @ErikaDonalds! Happy Valentines Day!!”
The Daniels' romantic public message backfired spectacularly. / X
Timeline And Public Records
The dates prompted immediate scrutiny because public records indicate a different timeline: Byron Donalds married his first wife, Bisa Hall, on June 15, 1999—about three months before he reportedly met Erika at the student union. Records show Donalds and Hall divorced in 2002, and Donalds later married Erika Lees (now Erika Donalds) on March 15, 2003.
Donalds is a Trump loyalist and showed his support at Trump's hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in May 2024. / Michael M. Santiago / Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
“Insane that she just tweeted out these dates, given it is a matter of public record that he was married to his first wife at the time, just married in fact,” wrote Mehdi Hasan, founder of Zeteo, on X.
Reaction And Background
Social media responses ranged from mockery to moral concern. Some commenters questioned whether Erika knew Mr. Donalds was married when she gave him her number; others criticized a public figure who emphasizes family values while allegedly pursuing a relationship during a prior marriage. A number of observers predicted partisan defenses and double standards.
Bisa Hall’s previous interview with public broadcaster WGCU adds detail to the story: Hall said the marriage helped her qualify for in-state college tuition under Donalds’s Florida residency and that the couple did not live together like a typical married pair. Hall recounted early discussions about divorce that she said Donalds resisted, and she described how an affair with Erika Lees complicated the marriage—eventually leading to divorce amid claims of pregnancy and a hurried split.
Political Context
The controversy arrives as Byron Donalds campaigns for governor of Florida with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Donalds announced his gubernatorial bid in February 2025 after Trump posted his endorsement on Truth Social. If elected, he would be the first Black Republican elected governor in U.S. history.
Donalds has faced other controversies and scrutiny in recent years, including comments in June 2024 that suggested Black families were more unified during the Jim Crow era; he later said he was not endorsing that period. His early adulthood also included legal issues: a 1997 marijuana possession charge dismissed through a pre-trial diversion program and a 2000 no-contest plea to a felony theft charge tied to an alleged bank fraud attempt; that record was later sealed and expunged.
The Daily Beast has contacted Byron Donalds for comment.
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