Donald Trump also had an affair with Playmate Karen McDougal in 2006

Embed from Getty Images

Ronan Farrow has done it again: he’s broken a massive story in the New Yorker about a major power player. This time, the power player isn’t Harvey Weinstein. This time the power player is Donald Trump. Farrow details in a new article how Donald Trump’s media cronies have been paying off Trump’s victims and mistresses for years now. The basic gist is that a woman comes forward with a story of how, say, she had an affair with Donald Trump at some point. Her story is credible and believable. She has details and inside information. The owner of the National Enquirer decides to pay the woman to tell her story but only to them – they own her exclusive, and they pay her six figures for it. Then the Enquirer never publishes her story and she can’t tell the story anywhere else. This is what happened to one of Trump’s mistresses circa 2006-07. Her name is Karen McDougal. You can read Farrow’s full story here.

In June, 2006, Donald Trump taped an episode of his reality-television show, “The Apprentice,” at the Playboy Mansion, in Los Angeles. Hugh Hefner, Playboy’s publisher, threw a pool party for the show’s contestants with dozens of current and former Playmates, including Karen McDougal, a slim brunette who had been named Playmate of the Year, eight years earlier. In 2001, the magazine’s readers voted her runner-up for “Playmate of the ’90s,” behind Pamela Anderson. At the time of the party, Trump had been married to the Slovenian model Melania Knauss for less than two years; their son, Barron, was a few months old. Trump seemed uninhibited by his new family obligations. McDougal later wrote that Trump “immediately took a liking to me, kept talking to me – telling me how beautiful I was, etc. It was so obvious that a Playmate Promotions exec said, ‘Wow, he was all over you – I think you could be his next wife.’”

Trump and McDougal began an affair, which McDougal later memorialized in an eight-page, handwritten document provided to The New Yorker by John Crawford, a friend of McDougal’s. When I showed McDougal the document, she expressed surprise that I had obtained it but confirmed that the handwriting was her own.

The interactions that McDougal outlines in the document share striking similarities with the stories of other women who claim to have had sexual relationships with Trump, or who have accused him of propositioning them for sex or sexually harassing them. McDougal describes their affair as entirely consensual. But her account provides a detailed look at how Trump and his allies used clandestine hotel-room meetings, payoffs, and complex legal agreements to keep affairs—sometimes multiple affairs he carried out simultaneously—out of the press.

[From The New Yorker]

Farrow goes on to say that the National Enquirer paid McDougal $150,000 for exclusive rights on her story, which they never ran:

Purchasing a story in order to bury it is a practice that many in the tabloid industry call “catch and kill.” This is a favorite tactic of the C.E.O. and chairman of A.M.I., David Pecker, who describes the President as “a personal friend.” As part of the agreement, A.M.I. consented to publish a regular aging-and-fitness column by McDougal. After Trump won the Presidency, however, A.M.I.’s promises largely went unfulfilled, according to McDougal.

Six former A.M.I. employees told me that Pecker routinely makes catch-and-kill arrangements like the one reached with McDougal. “We had stories and we bought them knowing full well they were never going to run,” Jerry George, a former A.M.I. senior editor who worked at the company for more than twenty-five years, told me. George said that Pecker protected Trump.

“Pecker really considered him a friend,” George told me. “We never printed a word about Trump without his approval.” Maxine Page, who worked at A.M.I. on and off from 2002 to 2012, including as an executive editor at one of the company’s Web sites, said that Pecker also used the unpublished stories as “leverage” over some celebrities in order to pressure them to pose for his magazines or feed him stories. Several former employees said that these celebrities included Arnold Schwarzenegger, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, and Tiger Woods.

[From The New Yorker]

Schwarzenegger denied this and Tiger Woods declined to comment, but I remember the Tiger Woods thing in detail – the Enquirer broke the story of Tiger’s affair with Rachel Uchitel, and that started the chain reaction of revelations about Tiger. The Enquirer had Tiger’s balls in a vice grip for months with those stories. Left unsaid is that the Enquirer also broke the John Edwards story, about his affair and then his mistress’s pregnancy. Maxine Page, who is quoted above, also tells Farrow: “Even though they’re just tabloids, just rags, it’s still a cause of concern. In theory, you would think that Trump has all the power in that relationship, but in fact Pecker has the power—he has the power to run these stories. He knows where the bodies are buried.” So what would it take for Pecker – appropriate name – to turn on Trump?

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Getty.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

157 Responses to “Donald Trump also had an affair with Playmate Karen McDougal in 2006”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. lightpurple says:

    The Farrow story mentions at least two other women around the same time as McDougal and he had unprotected sex with all of them and he had unprotected sex with Stormy Daniels too. The utter disregard for not only his own health and that of these women but for the health of his wife is just disgusting.

    • Rapunzel says:

      Trump is too much of a narcissist to worry about his health. He doesn’t think anything bad can happen to him. Hence why he eats McDonald’s so much.

      And he’s too much of an asshole to worry about his partner’s health.

      • Ladyellismp says:

        Um, my grandparents ate at McDonald’s a lot. So do bill gates and warren buffett. I don’t think you can say none of these people care about their health. There are lots of things to hate on for trump. But if you are gonna say eating at McDonald’s means you don’t care about your health, that is pretty offensive to people who work there and eat it because they get discounted food, or those who enjoy the senior citizen discounts and coffee and hash browns and egg mcmuffins.

      • isabelle says:

        Live in a town Gates visits, he eats so called fast food and eats cheap food. He always visits the fried food places versus the nice restaurants. He tips well though and very nice.

      • trumptrickle says:

        He also believes nonsensical things about human health, like the idea that exercise just wears down your “battery” and hastens death.

      • Aurelia says:

        Melania needs to have regular HIV tests. And the rest.

    • Merritt says:

      Trump doesn’t think that rich straight white men can get infected.

    • Christin says:

      He’s supposedly such a germophobe that he picks fast food over other choices. Yet taking such risks as this…

      Actually, we’re all at risk, because there could be an army of little Oranges in the world. Imagine a press conference with not only former mistresses, but a few teenage Mangos.

      • Foxy Moron says:

        It’s not about being a “germaphobe”; that’s allegedly NOT the reason he eats MCdonald’s. He eats fast pre-made food to avoid intentional poisoning.

      • Christin says:

        He’s publicly described himself as a germaphobe is my point. The food poisoning angle must be paranoia on his part.

      • Merritt says:

        @Foxy Moron

        Then he hasn’t seen all the disgusting things that disgruntled fast food workers do to food.

      • jwoolman says:

        Considering that Trump has been playing with the Russians, fears about poisoning are not necessarily paranoia. Poisoning has been used on people who fall out of favor with the Russian government.

        I’ve always felt that Trump was worried about a lot more than blackmail over videos of him with prostitutes. He can always claim those are doctored videos (which the Russians have been known to do). If he defaults on those loans and does not come through with lifting the sanctions in particular – they may do a lot more than break his legs.

        Meanwhile – I’m sure that there are a lot more affairs in this guy’s closet. He has a pattern. As he has become older, he may especially have needed to spread money and other promised favors around to get women interested enough in him. According to what he told Dr. Oz during the campaign, he looks in the mirror and sees himself as 30-35 years old. Nobody else does, though. He can’t be all that charming, even when he’s trying.

      • magnoliarose says:

        @jwoolman
        He is very charming, and it disarms people and pulls them in. He is very solicitous and feigns concern. In the beginning or socially. That is why all those people were shocked by his behavior and beliefs. All the while he is looking for that opening to find what that person wants, he mirrors it and then later exploits it. It is why all those around him are becoming as corrupt as he is. He saw their secret desires, and he provides it, in a way and uses it to his advantage.
        He saw that Kelly was a closet bigot and he let him finally be open and let his racism fly free, unburdened by the need to seem fair he has gone full in and 45 exploits it. He encourages it and rewards it, and they keep doing it.
        His leadership style works for this sick dynamic because he pits the underlings against each other by playing favorites and then dumping the favorite for no reason. So they ramp up the shenanigans to get back in his favor, and he grows bored or tired of them and then fires them for precisely engaging in the behavior he exploited. They grow cocky, and he enjoys taking them out.
        The staff at the WH, the workers, have said he is much nicer than everyone else in his family and around him. I expect since that report they don’t feel that way anymore. He can only keep up the facade for so long.

        Having money makes people WANT to see more in him. They want to be friends with a rich guy.

      • Christin says:

        In the full article, Karen found him intelligent and polite. Of course, that changed as he later said things such as referring to her mother as “that old hag”.

        The mother was near his age, which Karen pointed out to him.

    • GingerCrunch says:

      Melania CANNOT be sleeping with him, right???

    • Indigo-child says:

      I won’t psycho analyze that human zit (45) ..I will pop that pimple with my vote! What’s disturbing & confusing is both the females that hooked up with him. Why bring up triggers that will hurt his wife..mentioning being in Trump tower as if she was in heaven..bish you were in another woman’s home..@ that time guilt didn’t kick in? Both women also mention his disregard for his wife – So if he was well mannered towards them etc.. would they have continued seeing him?

      Melania needs to drop this this Jay z quote on both these women – “Don’t tell me what was said about me. Tell me why they were so comfortable to say it to you.”

  2. Neelyo says:

    I never want to hear a Republican say ‘family values’ again without them bursting into flames (or at least be called out for their hypocrisy).

    • Hh says:

      SAY THAT! It’s over for the “family values” evangelicals.

      • Reef says:

        It won’t. Men like Trump are all over the Church. Hypocrisy is so tightly bound to Christianity that none of these folks will blink because David, we’re all sinners, and God has forgiven him, etc.

    • Jker says:

      LOUDER! for the deplorables in the back!!

    • INeedANap says:

      They call him a “baby Christian” or say he’s been forgiven or do whatever mental contortions they need to do to stand by him. The cognitive dissonance is real.

    • Lilith says:

      Unfortunately, that is the standard operating procedure for today’s GOP. Blatant, disgusting, shocking hypocrisy. It will continue as long as the base keeps drinking the cool aid and worshipping the Orange One.

    • Otaku Fairy says:

      Can you imagine their reaction if it got out that a female politician had the same sex life that Donald Trump has had, minus the sex crimes?

  3. grabbyhands says:

    Except is isn’t really a massive bombshell, is it? I’m sure Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal are just a drop in the bucket to the number of women he’s boned while married. It isn’t going to make a whit of difference to his base or to the GOP. It probably isn’t even going to make a difference to many women voters. If they’ voted for 45 in the first place, and supported a nominee like the Alabama pedophile, they are not going to care about this.

    This story will get a bit of press for a few weeks, she’ll go on a few talk shows and then it is going to sink, just like the first one did. Ronan Farrow should be using his talent on writing bombshells that actually have impact, like he did with the Weinstein abuse.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      It’s important in conjunction with the story about the lapsed White House security clearances because it demonstrates that Trump is vulnerable to blackmail and other outside pressures. It’s not about the sex; it’s not even about the hypocrisy of his ‘religious’ supporters. It’s about how easily compromised he is, coupled with his financial vulnerability. It’s about whether he has the potential to lie to the FBI (Mueller) or to anyone under oath – a grand jury, a Congressional committee.

      And it’s about media complicity as well, even if “tabloids.” Because look at how NBC Entertainment and NBC News covered for him, too.

      • INeedANap says:

        BINGO

        We know that Trump’s finances are a shady mess and that his family launders personal funds through their charities. We now know there is a shadow network of money being paid out to other people for their silence. Someone like him should never be told state secrets, yet here we are.

      • magnoliarose says:

        Every word. It shows how sloppy and weak he is and how compromised too.

    • oh-dear says:

      unfortunately @grabbyhands, this is too true. When there has been research on Trump voters who are not what you would call ‘typical’ trump voters (educated, know he is an idiot and a prick, and voted for him – so not his base), this would not be news. And they cared about serving their own needs (ie. bringing back jobs, which was the most obvious and biggest fallacy of all) to be bothered by this. These revelations won’t surprise them, and it won’t matter to them.
      I have no idea how the Republicans move forward with self-righteousness after Trump. I think they will use him as an example of why ‘family values’ matter so much – in the end, they’ll pretend they couldn’t do anything about him, the American public voted him in, and they just had to go along with what the American public wanted. Jerks.

    • Juls says:

      I agree that this piece will not do much damage. That being said, I think Farrow has an angle and he is just getting started on Trump. We’ve already seen that Farrow is like a dog with a bone. I would bet he’s already deep into investigating the assault allegations against Trump and is going to bring them back to the forefront of this national conversation about sexual harassment and assault. Remember, the Trump accusers came out a full year before the Weinstein scandal.

      • whatWHAT? says:

        I think you’re right. I think Farrow is just getting started.

      • NightOwl says:

        I agree.

        As an aside, I worry for Farrow’s safety as I do for all reporters who tackle such large issues.

      • Megan says:

        Trump was famous for being a womanizer long before he ran for president. Sexual scandals are not going to bring him down. He was credibly accused of harassment, assault, and rape before the election and it didn’t matter.

    • ORIGINAL T.C. says:

      Actually I think this is different. If true, it means the president of the United States is compromised. The head of the National inquirer has bought information on him that leaves him open for blackmail. This is what Comey’s first visit with Trump was about. The pee-pee prostitution story.

      This is what the last guy to be fired in the WH-the wifebeater-was fundamentally about. He had a secret that could be reported and set him up for blackmail so the FBI considered him a security risk. The morality of being a wife beater unfortunately was secondary. That’s what FBI background checks are done for.

      This story means the part of the Dossier about urinating prostutes in the bed the Obamas slept in is also true. The republicans who have been attacking the Dossier on this point are sooner or later going to have egg on their face!

      • Megan says:

        Trump has engaged in such outrageous and vile behavior since taking office, the pee pee tape no longer matters. His base will simply give him another mulligan, Paul Ryan will pretend he hears his mom calling him, and Mitch McConnell will pivot to Paula Jones.

  4. Seraphina says:

    What a bunch of douche bags. All of them. Scum. I once was told by a professor the media in Boston had an agreement with the Kennedy men. They would show up with mistresses and the media never printed it. It’s about time we women rally together and bring some postive change for US.

  5. Rapunzel says:

    It’s obvious Trump has friends in the media. Not just National Enquirer but at the DailyFail and other Murdoch publications. They publish all sorts of negative stories (mostly fraudulent or over exaggerated)about Trump’s enemies , which to me is much worse than killing negative stories about Trump.

    • Christin says:

      Any guesses as to what the Fail’s connection might be? P. Morgan being on his reality show years ago? Or just that the Fail panders to a similar readership base?

    • Raina says:

      Trump. National Enquirer. McDonald’s. What do these three things have in common? One is trash. One is trash that reads trash. One is trash that eats trash. Bottom line: Trump is a big Orange dumpster.
      And the unprotected sex thing with multiple women while married always sickens me. I’d almost wish one of these women had something to pass on to him but I wouldn’t want the collateral damage or anyone else suffering. If I worked at McDonald’s and I found out the food was for him somehow, I would secret sauce until I couldn’t secret sauce anymore. Trash b*tch.

      • Ladyellismp says:

        Wow. I think we can hate on trump for his white supremacy, being a rapist, so many other things, without hating on McDonald’s and the people who eat there. My grandparents enjoy the senior citizen specials at their local one in the middle of nowhere, I have enjoyed many an ice cream there, and I loved playing in the playground as a kid.

        Does that mean I am trash? Bill Gates and Melinda Gates who are working to provide birth control to the world are trash because they enjoy eating at McDonald’s?

        I don’t get this thinly veiled hate we are putting on people for wanting to enjoy a hot meal out, while living within their means, and somehow saying that means they are dumb.

        I get, you hate trump. I do too. but We can do and must do better with the judgment and name calling if we want to return to a more civil and compasionate country.

      • Pinetree13 says:

        Oh my gosh girl, I eat McDonald’s too but I’m about to cry if someone calls it trash food.

        Why is it bothering you so much? Are you Ronald McDonald’s neice or something ?

      • Raina says:

        @Lady…
        Relax. I was just emphasizing a point. I have eaten there myself as has my family. But, in combination with EVERYTHING else he does and the fact he seems to ONLY eat fast food, seems very fitting. Seriously, not a huge issue, this McDonald’s thing, to where you should be so upset.
        I WILL add that it IS technically crappy food nutritionally, but I suspect you already know everything there is to know about all things McDonald’s.

      • magnoliarose says:

        @pinetree
        Lol

  6. littlemissnaughty says:

    *sigh* Honestly, I don’t care. Two grown-ass people had consensual sex. This is among the more normal things this man has done in his life. It’s gross and he’s a douche, what else is new? I care that he assaulted women. I care that Bill Clinton lied and also assaulted women, I can’t give a flying f*ck that he had a consensual affair. I feel like we’re losing focus here. It’s certainly “scandalous” and I do feel a little bad for Melania because she can’t do anything, she can’t comment in her current role as First Lady. But then she knew who she married.

    • Rapunzel says:

      ITA. To me this is a distraction from the real stuff like the Russian sanctions and gun control.

    • adastraperaspera says:

      Totally agree. The media is pushing these stories (that have been out there for years to tell) as a distraction to make it look like he’s a ladies man, when he is just a perv who is a cash cow for escorts. Nothing against the law there (well, unless he’s involved in prostitution in states that don’t allow that…). But not enforcing our laws, which he took an oath to uphold, is not acceptable for one minute. We want sanctions, and we want them now!!

    • Elkie says:

      It matters in that it further exposes the gross hypocrisy of his Talibangelical supporters.

      There are a large number of younger members and *actual* Christians leaving the church disgusted with the senior members endorsement of Trump (and the Redneck Kiddie Fiddler, etc…) so it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have more evidence to ask them to defend.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        But this??? It’s like “exposing” a thief that’s already a convicted murderer.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      It matters because, given the apparent perceived need to hush it all up, it renders him vulnerable to outside influence – to blackmail. This, together with the faulty White House security clearances, is a national security issue.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        But is it? I’m honestly asking. This is the Teflon President. Everything has already happened. Shady finances, Russian influence, possible treason, racism, sexual assault, wanting to bang his daughter … I could go on. How does an affair even register? His supporters certainly won’t care. Congress doesn’t. How does “sex with p0rn star” even make the Top 20?

      • bma says:

        but it does matter. if Russia or some other foreign entity has all this info on him, and maybe worse, how do we know that his decisions on national security issues are not being influenced by this? i could give a flying frick who he’s sleeping with…i do care about who is using it to exert influence over him and what it is he’s doing to please them bc its not for the good of the american people.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        bma, but that’s my point. We DO know already. And if this is the extent of the information, he can’t be blackmailed with it. He’s said and done worse without prompting from a foreign power! Unless Putin goes on TV and admits that he is secretly married to Ivanka, has the pee tape, and is funding 45’s entire family, it won’t make a dent.

    • Mo says:

      I am not prude by any means but this MATTERS to me and many other Americans. If Trump wanted to raw dog a bunch of escorts instead of being a married man he could have BUT he chose to be a HUSBAND because of the cultural decorum that title carries in American culture. A HUSBAND is a man of integrity, commitment, and self control. He used that image to appeal to not only religious fanatics but also average Americans who would have not voted for a philandering playboy.

      However, I do agree that he has committed many more serious offenses before and after his “election” that should have prevented his…rise to power. This is a small, disgusting fish, in the cesspool that is our “elected” body of representatives.

    • Betsy says:

      Bill Clinton’s assaults were investigated and never found to be anything other than consensual relationships – icky ones, to be sure, but consensual. Just run through the right wing wringer.

      Yes, these were consensual and generally speaking I’d just judge but figure it’s none of my business, but he’s the “president,” and such fantastically bad judgment makes it our business. This is proof that his garden variety tastes are…. I don’t want to speak against these women. Sleeping unprotected with porn actresses, paying them off, having a friend pay to kill the stories, the hypocrisy of the evangelicals, that this acts in support of the grosser suggestions of behavior in the Steele dossier, this further supports that he might be blackmailed…. this isn’t just two consenting adults. It’s a whole mess.

    • Ksenia says:

      littlemissnaughty: Agree w you. Of COURSE the man had another affair, it is already inarguable that the gross orange racist has had multiple affairs during all three of his marriages, so is anyone at all really surprised by this “story?” It reflects poorly on him, of course, everything does, but it’s so MUCH LESS IMPORTANT than the many other suspicions and covert facts about him. So why does the media dwell on it? It seems more like just a convenient coverage, by now, for the far many worse things that 45 has done and is still doing.

    • Rhys says:

      Melania is fine. She knows it’s only for several years and after that she can come back to NY and be alone in her penthouse. Why should she divorce him when she probably doesn’t even see him for days on end? She will forever remain a First Lady, not the First Divorced While In Office First Lady.

      Look, I get what people are trying to say – how can she stay with him after all this. The truth is she just doesn’t care. She married him to gain security, luxury and her baby. Imagine coming to NY as one of thousands models from Eastern Europe and trying to make it. She knew she wasn’t a supermodel material and here was Trump with his money and his tower, and his airplane rides to his Palm Beach estate. Melania grabbed the opportunity perfectly aware that it comes with some price to pay. She got what she wanted and could spend her days alone, in peace, pampering herself and reading (whatever it is she reads). I completely understand her decision though it’s not for everyone.

      So, why should she divorce the sucker? She knows she’ll be back in her luxurious home in a few years, with her son and… who gives a s#*t about the old white guy?

  7. tw says:

    Someone please get the women who have had abortions to come forward! Come on! You know there is more than one woman out there who he paid to have an abortion!!! I have been saying this since he announced his run.

    • Léna says:

      Is it true that a part of the Republicans are against abortion just becauce it’s convenient in politics and give them more chance to win certain votes? The hypocrisy of those men that are against any rights for abortion but are asking their misstress to get one.

      • Elkie says:

        Right-wing conservatives HATE that women have nudged towards equality, safe recreational sex lives and have the right to work outside the home, taking jobs away from the mediocre white men who truly deserve them, so in the 70s they moved the battleground to the uterus.

        GOP politicians running on a “Pro-Life” platform have absolutely nothing to do with being pro-life – or they’d slim down the military, get rid of capital punishment and introduce universal healthcare and gun control legislation – and everything to do with finding a way for MWM to control women again.

      • Léna says:

        @Elkie Thank you for the answer! Republicans “values” are really fascinating

      • whatWHAT? says:

        yeah, if they were truly pro-life they’d want to support those babies/kids that they want to force the mother to have. but no healthcare, no SNAP, no pre-natal care, no pre-K funding, no $ to support the mothers in any way. once that baby is out, it’s on its own.

        they’re pro-BIRTH, no pro-life.

    • Otaku Fairy says:

      Yes! That needs to happen. I’d love to see how the anti-choice crowd would try to spin Donald Trump paying women he’s had premarital/extramarital s*x with into getting abortions.

      • Jayna says:

        People don’t get it. They won’t care. None of them care as long as he pushes their agenda forward, which he is, and as long as he pretends to be a Christian, which he pays lip service to. None of them care. They accept him as he is and are excited he is causing so much disruption amongst entrenched Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C.

        So don’t ever expect the deplorables to give a flying f’vck. They just say it’s in the past, and it’s what he is doing now that counts. That his actions on putting a conservative on the SCOTUS is what is important to their cause.

        Even if Melania left him and he was a single president in the White House having some new young model on his arm the rest of his term, they would not care. They are behind this guy 100 percent.

  8. trollontheloose says:

    the tape with Billy Bush tells you everything about 45..

  9. Eric says:

    Mueller incoming!

    Talked with Bannon for 20 hours this week and he answered every question from Mueller and team (despite his stonewalling Congress). AND Manafort’s deputy Rick Gates has been flipped for one month already. Remember, The Dotard fears a Manafortesque interview due to the knowledge a witness like Manafort is about to drop; Rick Gates is your man and will do it instead. Bwahahaha!

    Desperate tweets coming from Emperor Zero in 10, 9, 8,…..

    • Christin says:

      Definitely some stormy weather on the horizon for Bigly Stud Muffin and the shady tie$.

      Someone said last night that Steve B probably paved a road to Jared’s front door during his lengthy discussions.

    • Swack says:

      Question Eric (and I always appreciate your posts), what is your take on Gates making a plea deal with Mueller?

      • Eric says:

        Swack:
        Thanks.
        Two parts to Gates’ story (and I don’t know if they are related):
        1) he has no cash
        2) his lawyers bailed

      • Swack says:

        Eric, thanks. They are probably related in some way.

      • woodstock_schulz says:

        @Eric – those two things are likely related, if he can’t pay his high priced lawyers, they will remove themselves (don’t need permission at this point as there are no charges, yet.) Buddy will have to make due with legal aid, too bad, so sad.

    • whatWHAT? says:

      I know the WH has commented on Gates flipping with a “this doesn’t affect us” type of thing, but Gates flipping puts pressure on Manafort to flip and Manafort is, I think, a big fish that the WH doesn’t want being caught.

      • Eric says:

        Holy Guacamole!!!!
        Alert alert alert!
        A grand jury via Robert Mueller III has just indicted 16 Russians for election interference, according to NPR!

        It’s on! The battle for WH containment begins.

        It’s Mueller Time!

      • Christin says:

        Clapping, Eric! Thank you for the update. The train has left the station!

    • magnoliarose says:

      Eric,
      Do you think this has anything to do with Rachel Brand leaving? Could it be she sees what is about to happen and wants no part in it? Could Gates be the one that pushed her too far?

      • Eric says:

        Magnolia:
        Brand is a witness against EZ for obstruction. It’s probably better for her to be dissociated from the DOJ at this point.

        RED ALERT!
        Click on NPR Twitter feed for latest updates on Russian conspiracy!

        Truth!

      • magnoliarose says:

        I shall do this. Thanks for the updates. They really are appreciated. It does seem like things are heating up. I love every moment of it of course.

    • Q T Hush says:

      Thank you Eric!
      I saw a clip of sloppy Steve and in this instance BLOTUS is actually right. Think SB drinks moonshine after the secret KKK meetings? I’m just so disgusted and at the point where I’ll just keep looking for your updates and take a day or two off from the news in the name of self preservation of my sanity. Have a good weekend!!

  10. Kate says:

    I know I will be yelled at for posting this because money, because power, because (fill in the blank) but

    WHY THE F!!! WOULD ANYONE SLEEP WITH THIS GUY?! COME ON!!!

  11. AnR says:

    My biggest question is WHY would anyone sleep with him. Imagine kissing him. Sorry threw up in my mouth.
    I know that’s not the point of the story but that’s all I can think about. And frankly, the thought is haunting me.

    • IMHO says:

      As gross as his conversation with Billy Bush was, there was an alarming truth buried in there…when you have the money and power, there will always be ones with will lay down for it.
      Of course, in the case of this one and so many others like him, if they don’t you can always bully, harass, coerce or assault your way into their bed. *** please note the disgusted sarcasm.

  12. Trillion says:

    Nice Christian cross she’s wearing here.

    • IMHO says:

      In keeping with that ‘Girl Next Door’ image I would imagine.

    • Christin says:

      The full article mentions that she has experienced a spiritual change in her life that helped lead her to regret past actions.

      She also recently had her implants removed, and apparently had time to reflect on her past decisions as she experienced health issues prior to that surgery.

  13. aquarius64 says:

    The Fail ran a story that Stormy has a DNA dress to prove her hook up with Trump. If a video tape follows…yuck.

    Let’s not be too dismissive of the tabloids. The Enquirer busted John Edwards.

  14. Who ARE These People? says:

    He talked about Ivanka with all these mistresses. This is so, so sick.

    Meanwhile, Kushner cos. remain under investigation.

    • magnoliarose says:

      One day the truth about that will come out, but I don’t want it to. It is too dark, and she has children that don’t need any further stigmatizing. He told people he was more sexually attracted to her at 13 than he was to his wife. When she was 13. He was hinting all over the place and acted very weird about her.
      He hung around with John Casablancas who along with his friends preyed on very young models and wannabes. JC met his last wife when she was 12. There are worse secrets to be uncovered, but I am not sure the country can take much more of his sleaze.
      I just hope Ronan is being careful and safe.

    • Anare says:

      Right? He allegedly told Mcdougal that she was a lot like Ivanka and he was always talking about Ivanka and showing off pictures of her. So unsettling.

  15. flebel says:

    The “fake news” alibi has gotten old, hasn’t it?

  16. Darla says:

    You know my first thought was, “my god, so beautiful, WHY would she allow this filth on her?” But then I came to “you could be his next wife”.

    Okay. I guess that’s it. Lining up to marry rich. Well, we see how happy it’s made Melania.

    • whatWHAT? says:

      there’s that old saying…when you marry rich, you earn every penny.

      • magnoliarose says:

        Yes and with a steep interest. Melania doesn’t look like a woman to be envied.

      • Betsy says:

        @magnoliarose – no, she isn’t to be envied, but I’m hard pressed to think of another woman in recent memory who has been so harshly and publicly humiliated by her spouse. Lots of women marry for money, not all pay quite so dearly.

      • magnoliarose says:

        I agree Betsy.
        She didn’t sign up for this. Perhaps it is why she didn’t want him to win or run. The price she is paying is much higher than she could have imagined. I do have a little sympathy for it being so public, and we know this is just the beginning.

      • Anare says:

        Melania made her choice. At any point in time she could walk away and say the money is not worth it. Yet she stays. She values the riches over personal integrity. No sympathy from me. I only feel sorry for the minor age children of this classless crew. They can’t flee.

      • magnoliarose says:

        You are right Anare she can walk away. I was referring more for the sake of Barron. She knows he is a cheating liar, but I can’t image she wanted her son to see this kind of tawdriness. That is where my tiny speckle of sympathy lies.

      • Betsy says:

        @anare – I don’t necessarily think she’s staying for the money, I think she’s stay because Donald won’t let her have Barron if she leaves. Not because he’s cares, but because he wants to wound her.

    • isabelle says:

      He pays them lots of money? Have you noticed Trump has to pay women to f him?

      • magnoliarose says:

        They need something to pay for the aftercare therapy sessions. I mean there is no way some trauma isn’t involved afterward.

  17. isabelle says:

    …and Republicans & Evangelicals will meet it with a sigh and pat on the back, and a he was chosen by God!. Vote them out in November, take away Trumps power & privilege by voting Republicans out.

  18. Kiki says:

    Pecker will turned out on Donald Trump. President Idiot is a bull faced liar and a con artist. He will flat out say he doesn’t know George Pecker and the whole story is a “fake news”.

    This will hurt USA.

  19. Millennial says:

    It’s clear he’s an un-repentant philanderer — every wife has been cheated on. Tigers don’t change their stripes.

    So what I want to know is who is/are his current side piece(s)? I thought Hope Hicks, but she’s likely been too busy with the other losers in the administration.

    I’d like to see someone post-presidency come forward. These stories from 10 years ago aren’t enough to tarnish his image.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Given his age and physical appearance, it will probably be ladies of the paid variety. I hope they got paid well.

    • magnoliarose says:

      Hope Hicks is one of them. There are hints about Nikki Haley. The WH is a leaking machine so it will eventually come out.

      • Lorelai says:

        I so do not understand how or why Hope Hicks would go there. I absolutely believe it’s true — but WHY??

      • Darla says:

        Who knows. Why did Hicks get involved with a married woman abuser, Lewindowsky? Why did she get involved with serial women beater, what’s his name, the latest one? My guess is that girl has got some daddy stories in her closet too. Ivanka isn’t alone there.

      • magnoliarose says:

        Power and like Darla said Daddy issues.

  20. noway says:

    It feels like all these so-called Christians made a Faustian deal with Trump. Karmas a bitch. It is only a matter of time before it comes to haunt them.

    One thing that bothered me about the last election which really had no traction was how with the last two Presidents we had 16 years of no sexual scandals. With the 2016 election since society has a funny way of blaming Hillary for Bill’s problems, we still would have had at least some of these stupid sex scandals. Granted with Hillary we wouldn’t have had all the other crap, but still. Even though I totally disagreed with W., it was kind of nice to be talking about important issues and not have so much revolve around sex and sloppy sex at that. Whatever your political views, Obama was no drama and impeccable in that regard. I mean Trump’s sexual gossip, golden showers, porn stars without protection, puts Clinton’s blue dress to shame. Yet he’s the one who brings Bill’s ex-partners and accusers to the debate to upset Hillary, but his wife can’t even go with him to a conference with a lot of people after just one of his scandals comes out. If Trump’s opponents tried to bring his ex-partners and accusers to upset him we’d need a much bigger arena. This just sucks, cause this isn’t even the worst thing about Trump.

  21. adastraperaspera says:

    Another question: are these stories about consensual affairs being put out there to distract not just from the Russian sanctions, but from possible evidence that Trump is involved in human trafficking?

    • magnoliarose says:

      I don’t think it is a distraction. I think it lends more credence to those claims when it is all put together. They should run a major story about his modeling agency. There are crimes there and human trafficking.

      What annoys me to no end is that these stories have been out there and waiting to be told, but the media said nothing.

    • trumptrickle says:

      Could be. They’re already proven that his base will even vote for a likely child molester. Pro Trump tabloids (the NY Post I think) put out Melania’s old nude photo shoot as a distraction from things about him that were more likely to cost him votes like the feud with the Muslim family with a slain servicemember.

      http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/melania-trump-nude-photos-new-york-post

  22. Ozogirl says:

    Ewww…he couldn’t pay me enough to bone him…or even speak to him.

  23. Hmmm says:

    Why doesn’t Melania break free? Now is her chance. She’s obviously not happy with the creep. 🤔

    • Jayna says:

      She’s probably agreed to stay because she has a brand new postnup, in place of her prenup, giving her a much bigger take-home when she leaves him after his term is up, or he has just moved some millions into her bank account. She won’t be leaving until his term is up. But with more of these stories, I see another revised postnup being arranged as we speak. LOL

      • Holly hobby says:

        She better leave and take the family jewels with her because Muller’s indictment listed confiscation of property and assets as punishment for interference with election. Yeah so Uncle Sam is coming for the money.

        It may not list Satan’s Pumpkin and his spawn on “this indictment” (Rosenstein was very specific in presser and I’m sure the it went over a lot of people’s heads but some eagle eyed people on Twitter pointed this out) but there’s more indictments to come.

      • magnoliarose says:

        I didn’t think of that and sort of skimmed that part. She might want to stash some cash and go. Could that be why she went to Florida so mysteriously? I don’t know, but she has to have a plan of some sort.

  24. AnneC says:

    There was a women that was bringing a lawsuit against trump about his interaction with her when she was 13. She pulled it because of death threats. Hope Farrow can find her, get her story and protect her.

  25. minx says:

    There’s not enough money in the world. Nope.

  26. Helen Smith says:

    I never thought Trump was the monogamous type. Big whatever shoulder shrug from me.

  27. mela says:

    Ok I understand he is rich, so I understand a woman like Melanie marrying for MONEY.

    But why have a sexual affair with him for FREE?!! Were they sleeping with him in hopes of a potential pay-off/ tell-all interview at the end? They certainly didn’t sleep with him based on any real attraction right?! he’s disgusting!

    • ORIGINAL T.C. says:

      The luxury involved with being courted by a rich guy. Nice hotels, private planes, the food and they usually will buy stuff for you like clothes, jewelry etc. All the perks Melania has but without getting married or hoping to be the next Mrs Trump. Look at all the ugly fat rich guys with beautiful young women.

    • trumptrickle says:

      He paid for a nice hotel room, gourmet dinner if she wanted it, etc.

    • flebel says:

      She told him that she “liked” him when refusing his money offer after their first sex session. Then she proceeds on a world wind 9 month affair with the sleeze bucket. Yeah, he was a dozen years younger then, but what was she thinking!!? I find her incredibly attractive and I am sure many super rich guys, much more desirable than tRump, made passes at her too. Now in her mid-forty’s and single, she has a good chance to die a lonely and poor spinster.

  28. aenflex says:

    Why are these women banging him? To what end? Why?

    • SoulSPA says:

      Speculation: he is old and his arteries are clogged due to lifestyle so he doesn’t get a lot of action if you know what I mean. However, women may be doing it for different reasons:
      1. They are paid by third parties so that Don the Con could be blackmailed.
      2. Thrills for sleeping with a rich celeb.
      3. Hope to become his mistress and get set for life.
      4. Hope he’ll help them with business etc.
      The common denominator: money.

  29. Hmm says:

    I wonder if melania has a side piece 🤔

    • Betsy says:

      Hank, head of security at Tiffany’s! The rumor is that when Trump lost, they’d divorce and he’d go his way (prostitutes) and she’d go into Hank’s arms. Them he “won.” She was alleged to have sobbed on Election night.

      • Hmmm says:

        Betsy, wasn’t sure if I should believe this but looked it up and can’t stop laughing. Good for her.

    • magnoliarose says:

      Yes, she does, and she sneaks away. He doesn’t care. She’s past 35. I used to think he would mind if she left but I think he only cares about needing her around to play First Lady. If he could have had Ivanka in the role, she could have stayed in NYC.

      • Lorelai says:

        @Magnolia, do you have inside info on Ivanka?

      • Lorelai says:

        Sorry, this comment appeared in the wrong place — I meant it as a response to your statement about not wanting “it” to be revealed, above.

        Please share as much as you can!

      • magnoliarose says:

        It is hard to keep it short and sweet because I have had to adjust my opinions about her based on how much she has exposed herself. She was able to slide under the radar for a long time because her father is just such a horrible person. She caught a lot of breaks because of it.
        His obsession is something whispered about and has been since she was small. But is not the kind of thing anyone really wanted to discuss or go there too deeply because it is such a taboo subject.
        I kind of felt and still do feel uncomfortable about it because many of the ladies and a few gents have shared their traumatic experiences growing up with someone who crossed those boundaries. I don’t want them to feel triggered or as if any revulsion felt about this situation is a judgment on them. They are innocent victims, and I feel as though this man is probably very tough to take as it is for people who have suffered from this type of abuse. They are innocent and untainted and not responsible for what happened to them, and none of this is meant to hurt or shame them. I just wanted to say that. I don’t want to hurt them.

      • magnoliarose says:

        @Lorelai I am going to think about this a little more and post later. Busy morning.

      • Jayna says:

        @MagnoliaRose, exactly.

  30. Lightpurple says:

    IT IS MUELLER TIME!!!

    Thirteen Russians indicted for criminal interference in the 2016 election

    • SCF says:

      i heard that these Russians staged rallies and were active on the internet. But a lot of people were trying to influence the outcome of the election, so how do you gauge how much impact the Russian activists had?

      • trumptrickle says:

        Even if they hadn’t changed anyone’s vote, it would be a serious crime to accept foreign aid in an American election. They just need to gather enough proof that the Trump campaign colluded.
        They do already have some numbers on how many Russian-sourced ads Americans saw on social media.

  31. Norman Garza says:

    If this was any other president or elected person this would be a scandal and a multiple violation of the Ten Commandments that a lot of people in our society hold so dear but ignore at certain times.

  32. Mia C says:

    It’s not going to matter. He literally ran by saying “I’m no angel.” He promised jobs, a wall, to be tough on ISIS and other matters like that. And as far as Christians are concerned, they’re happy he’s brought back prayer into the White House and all that but I heard plenty of pastors saying that Hillary and Trump both had bad track records so they were focused on issues like supporting Israel (which Trump has done) and his platform. So this is sort of baked in the cake. Being a billionaire playboy builder was all part of what he ran on. It’s also sleazy of the woman to try to turn her trysts into a payday, but that’s what happens when you sleep with women who have made their sexual attractiveness their business. So I think the Donald got what he paid for. These two pretty much both deserve each other. He used her for sex, she used him for lots of money and fame. She seems to be loving every minute of this. I’m sure she’ll do the talk show circuit like a pro.

    • Jayna says:

      I said something similar on the thread. The deplorables don’t care. Trump is what he is, and they accept him as long as he’s doing what they want.

  33. Anare says:

    I was naively unaware of the “catch and kill” practice. The dark, slimy, under belly of the gossip business. SMH. Donald Trump is a pig. The aptly named David Pecker equally a pig. Even got into a little verbal with the hub last night when he started slut-shaming these gals. I shut him down and was secretly smug for the rest of the evening. Lol!

  34. HeyThere! says:

    PINETREE13 just made me snort laughing!!!! “What are you Ronald McDonalds niece?!” BAHA I was thinking the same thing. We can all agree it isn’t healthy food, BUT I get down on nuggets and fries every now and then. All in moderation is my saying.