Are Teresa And Joe Giudice Divorcing? New Details About What Will Happen To Their Relationship If He Gets Deported
RHONJ teaser hints that the couple will part ways — but Teresa follow Joe to Italy?
Instagram Teresa and Joe Giudice of The Real Housewives of New Jersey have had a tough go. The couple made headlines in 2014 after they pleaded guilty to 41 counts of fraud. Joe had also confessed that he owed more than $200,000 in taxes. Teresa served a little over 11 months in prison and was released on Dec. 23, 2015. She’s since been caring for the couple’s four daughters: Gia, 18, Gabriella, 14, Milania, 12, and Audriana, 9.
On the other hand, Joe began his 41-month prison term in March 2016. But things became more complicated when in October 2018, a judge ordered him to be deported to his native Italy when his sentence ends. Even though he has lived in the United States since he was a child, Joe never obtained American citizenship. According to U.S. law, immigrants can be deported if they are convicted of “a crime of moral turpitude” or an “aggravated felony.”
Will the two go their separate ways when this is all over?
The sneak preview video clip for the reunion shows reveals Teresa crying when host Andy Cohen asks her about the future of her marriage. The 46-year-old mother of four was in tears during a trailer for the three-part special when she was asked about her future with Joe.
“What you’re saying is that you will go your separate ways,” Cohen is seen telling Teresa, who dabs her face with a tissue. Sources have hinted that Teresa responded during the RHONJ taping. “Teresa told Andy that if Joe gets deported, she’s not going,” a source on the scene explained. “She said that she and Joe had talked about it over the phone and that he understood.”
So are Teresa and Joe Giudice divorcing? Here's what we know so far.
1. Melissa Gorgo doesn't think Teresa will go to Italy.
Fellow Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga doesn't think that Teresa Giudice will pick up her life and move to Italy if her husband does in fact get deported.
“I don’t think so,” Gorga, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly of her thoughts on Teresa possibly moving to Joe’s home country at the Women’s Day Dress Awards at the Appel Room in New York City on Tuesday, Feb. 12. “But I guess we’ll have to see.”
The Love Italian Style: The Secrets of My Hot and Happy Marriage author, who is married to Teresa’s brother Joe Gorga, added: “Nobody knows anything yet. Everyone’s waiting for the final answer. We’re just sitting back and praying.”
2. There have been rumors and more rumors.
A source told Us Weekly that Teresa admitted during an RHONJ season 9 reunion taping in January that she and Joe will “go our separate ways” if the deportation goes through. Whether this source is true, time will tell. According to another source, Teresa consulted a divorce attorney recently.
“Teresa visited a divorce lawyer last week when she got back from Los Angeles,” a source close to The Real Housewives of New Jersey star snitched to Radar Online.
Despite the swirling gossip, Teresa has never let rumors of marital issues phase her. In fact, she even had an explanation ready to go as for why she was seen with an attorney back in January.
3. Teresa has only seen an immigration lawyer.
“The only lawyers Teresa is talking to are her husband's immigration lawyers, and those conversations are about bringing Joe home where he belongs. Nobody is talking about getting divorced,” insisted her family attorney, in an email to DailyMail.
4. Teresa's lawyer has shot down rumors.
Last month, Teresa’s lawyer James J. Leonard Jr. told PEOPLE that despite being in jail, Joe “remains a big presence in everyone’s lives through phone calls, emails, and visits.”
“It’s not ideal, but this family has been doing this since 2015,” he said, adding that Joe is on “everybody’s mind,” especially his four daughter’s. “God willing it all be over soon, and Joe will return home where he belongs.”
Back in October, Teresa's lawyer, James Leonard Jr. shot down speculation of a split during a recent interview with Page Six.
“Teresa is not talking about getting divorced, she is not thinking about getting divorced, and she’s not filing for divorce,” he said. “It’s not happening, not just now, but never. I can’t be any more clear about it.”
5. Teresa has said Italy is a beautiful place to live.
Teresa said, “Italy is a beautiful place to live,” hinting she would consider it, but leaves it up to God to decide her fate. “I wouldn’t mind, you know, I’m just saying. Listen, whatever God has planned for me, that’s what’s going to happen. I will embrace it the best I can.”
6. But is Teresa in denial?
Teresa, 46, revealed on a recent episode that she’s just focusing on the positive.
“The closer it gets to Joe getting out, all I think about is, ‘Soon he’ll be home,’ ” Teresa said. “I don’t even talk about deportation. That’s all negative thoughts. To me, Joe’s coming home, and that’s it.”
On a recent episode in January, she visited Joe (though the cameras didn’t follow her there).
“I just came straight from seeing Joe,” she told Danielle Staub, adding that the two talk about the kids and about “what he wants to do when he gets out.”
Teresa also shared some dirty talk between the couple as she was visiting him.
“He’s trying to touch my a–-. I’m like, ‘Get your hand off of my a–-,’ ” she explained, laughing. “You’re not allowed to do that!”
She also said she can’t wait until Joe is back home.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “The kids will really be happy when he gets home. They can’t wait, especially Milania.”
7. The kids love Joe.
Teresa Giudice‘s daughter Milania says her family will continue fighting her father Joe Giudice’s deportation. The 12-year-old shared an emotional note on Instagram praising her father.
“My dad, who is the best dad in the world, needs to come home,” she wrote. “We aren’t done fighting dad. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t imagine another day without you. We are gonna do everything we can to fight this daddy!!"
"I love you with all my heart buddy,” she continued, adding multiple heart emojis as well as “#heartbroken.”
8. Gia is going to college.
The 18-year-old will be going off to college soon, so it seems unlikely that Teresa would leave the country with the rest of the children to Italy.
In October, Teresa said she would not divorce Joe if he is forced to leave the U.S.
“No. We’re going to be a family,” she said at the time. “We’re going to fight this and get through this.”
Have things changed since then? We'll have to wait and see in the three-part reunion of The Real Housewives of New Jersey which kicks off Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
Maria Lianos-Carbone is the author of "Oh Baby! A Mom's Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year" and publisher of amotherworld.com.
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