It’s been hard to avoid how Donald Trump speaks about women in the public sphere – he’s called Hillary Clinton an ‘enabler’ of Bill Clinton’s affairs, said that he’d fire Rosie O’Donnell for her ‘fat, ugly face’, and even suggested that if Ivanka Trump weren’t his daughter, he’d probably be dating her (yes, really).
But The New York Times has recently exposed how Trump treats women in his private life – what’s said behind closed doors, and when the cameras aren’t around – in a series of 50 in-depth interviews with dozens of women who have known him personally.
The result? Let’s just say that your view of Donald Trump will probably not improve.
The article makes its way through his life at boarding school, in the work place, at parties, and in politics, showing how Trump exploited his power to take advantage of often vulnerable women.
Some of the more shocking moments include a borderline rape incident with his ex-wife Ivana, telling some of his employees that they were fat, and kissing some of the Miss Universe contestants without their permission.
One of the particularly disturbing stories was that of Alicia Machado, who was a former Miss Universe. After winning the pageant she put on a bit of weight and Trump publicly shamed her for the incident.
She said: “I told the president of Miss Universe, a very sweet woman, I said I need some time to recuperate, to rest, to exercise, to eat right. I asked them to bring me a doctor to help me — to have a special diet and get exercise, and they said yes. They took me to New York, installed me in a hotel. The next day, they took me to the gym, and I’m exposed to 90 media outlets. Donald Trump was there. I had no idea that would happen.
“I was about to cry in that moment with all the cameras there. I said, “I don’t want to do this, Mr. Trump.” He said, “I don’t care.”
Interviews with Trump are also included in the expose, where Trump defends and denies the claims some of the women made.
“A lot of things get made up over the years,” Trump told the Times. “I have always treated women with great respect.”
You can read the full New York Times story here.
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