Representative Max Miller, a Republican congressman from Ohio, faced intense scrutiny during a live interview on CNN on Tuesday amid serious allegations of emotional and physical abuse made by his ex-wife and others. Miller, who is campaigning for a third term, aimed to address the accusations during the 23-minute discussion but often deflected or struggled to respond to pointed questions from anchor Jake Tapper.

The interview came as Miller’s re-election campaign faces growing pressure from within his own party, with calls for him to withdraw from the state's Republican primary. Scott Jennings, a CNN contributor and Republican commentator, urged Miller to quit the race, saying the congressman should consider the wellbeing of his family over his political ambitions.

Miller has denied the charges brought by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, who alleges that he held a gun to her head, threw hot water at her, and caused physical harm to their toddler daughter, including fracturing her collarbone. The couple divorced in 2024 and remain in a contentious custody battle. Miller has countered with allegations questioning Moreno’s mental health and accusing her of dishonesty.

During the interview, Tapper pressed Miller on a range of claims, beginning with an incident cited by Moreno’s father, Senator Bernie Moreno, who alleged Miller refused to return a favorite stuffed animal to their daughter—a claim Tapper framed as emotionally abusive. Miller repeatedly deflected the question and targeted his former father-in-law instead of answering directly.

Tapper also confronted Miller with accusations from three women alleging violence against them, prompting Miller to attempt interruptions, which Tapper cut off to continue the questioning. The congressman repeatedly avoided directly addressing certain points, including the last time he used illegal drugs.

A particularly contentious moment arose around a photo of the toddler that Miller posted online in response to the allegations. Lawyers representing Moreno condemned the release of the image, suggesting it could constitute child sexual abuse material. The photo was removed after it garnered more than 200,000 views. Tapper called Miller’s decision to post the image "shockingly reckless," though Miller argued it was taken out of context and maintained no inappropriate content was shown.

Miller linked his determination to remain in the race to former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, noting Trump’s resilience despite controversies. While Trump has acknowledged the political difficulties the allegations pose for Miller, he has not publicly urged the congressman to withdraw.

As the interview concluded, Tapper asked if anyone close to Miller had advised him to step aside for the sake of his daughter's interests and his mental health. Miller responded that his daughter would one day see the situation and that he would not "cave to political and social media pressures for something that he never did."

The ongoing controversy has left Republican officials uncertain about how to proceed amid the mounting allegations and Miller’s steadfast refusal to suspend his campaign.