Major Warning Signs Indicating Vanessa Trump and Tiger Woods’ Relationship May Not Endure

Back in 2009, Tiger Woods was at the height of both his fame and his golf game, but it all came crashing down when his wife, Elin Nordegren, found out he’d been unfaithful and forced him out of their house while wielding a golf club, kicking off an instant media circus. Violence ranks high among things not to do if your partner cheats, but we understand Nordegren’s frustration — eventually, the staggering number of Woods’ affairs landed somewhere upward of 120. As he admitted in a 2010 press conference, “I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled, and thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them.”

Orna and Matthew Walters point out this extreme unfaithfulness as a prominent red flag. “Tiger Woods’ history of chronic infidelity is a pattern that reveals he has bad strategies for handling unmet needs and emotional disconnection. … What’s concerning isn’t just that he cheated, it’s that he betrayed the trust of multiple women over time,” the Walters exclusively tell Glam. And while Woods eventually sought therapy for sex addiction, they say that “doesn’t guarantee he did the inner work required to become a trustworthy and reliable partner.”

Granted, no two relationships are alike, but with Woods as a common denominator, his new relationship could face the same struggles as his marriage to Nordegren. “Betrayal doesn’t start with an affair; it begins by avoiding responsibility and seeking emotional intimacy outside of the relationship,” explain the dating experts. “Learning to be emotionally authentic and to take personal responsibility requires commitment and practice. … Until Tiger is willing to work on his communication skills, find productive ways to deal with stress, and turn conflict into a deeper connection, he’ll be at risk of repeating his old strategies.”

Tiger Woods’ checkered romantic history places a spotlight on his relationships. However, the golfer isn’t the only one dragging media attention into this burgeoning partnership. Vanessa Trump has undergone a stunning style transformation, but her life hasn’t changed completely — and certain issues continue to dog her heels. As Orna and Matthew Walters point out, “Vanessa Trump shares five children with Donald Trump Jr., and is therefore permanently tied to one of the most polarizing families in American public life. … The pressure of being in such a public family was instrumental in ending her marriage to Trump Jr. It appears she’s recreating the same dynamic in her relationship with Tiger Woods.”

If they aren’t careful, this attention could become a crushing weight. “A romantic relationship without privacy, emotional safety, and a foundation of shared values can implode under the pressure of public scrutiny,” say the Walters. “Most people’s relationship problems don’t make the headlines at the supermarket checkout line or late-night talk shows. … Couples in the public eye must have a strong foundation of trust and communication because speculation and rumor seeping into their private time could light a tinderbox and doom the relationship.”

On the upside, it seems like Woods and Vanessa might already realize this. Even in that first relationship announcement on Woods’ X account, he was already hinting at wanting to keep things pretty low-key, writing, “We would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.” This protectiveness is potentially a step in the right direction. As the Walters conclude, “For this couple to make love last they’ll need more than just chemistry or good intentions — they’ll need structure. This includes clear boundaries with each other, their exes, and with the public.”