In recently unearthed audio recordings, former President Donald Trump defended his highly criticized actions during the 1997 Miss Universe Pageant. Speaking with Howard Stern on his show, Trump justified his decision to enter the contestants’ dressing rooms, claiming he was “obligated” to check on the candidates as the owner of the pageant.
While Trump insisted that checking on the contestants was within his rights, several participants later revealed that they were naked when Trump entered, leading to widespread backlash. In the recordings, Trump boasted about his access, saying, “I’ll go backstage before a show and everyone’s getting dressed. No men are anywhere, and I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant and therefore I’m inspecting it.” He further explained his actions by saying, “You see these incredible-looking women, and so I sort of get away with things like that.”
These statements have been met with significant criticism, with many viewing Trump’s behavior as a violation of the contestants’ privacy. Four women who competed in the 1997 Miss Teen USA pageant later came forward to share their experiences. Mariah Billado, the former Miss Vermont Teen USA, recalled quickly covering herself when Trump entered the room, saying, “I remember putting on my dress really quick because I was like, ‘Oh my god, there’s a man in here.’” Another contestant, Bridget Sullivan, described the incident as “shocking,” noting that “we were all naked.”
The controversy resurfaced in 2016 when BuzzFeed published a report detailing the incident, further fueling public outrage. Trump’s comments about the pageant contestants have since been widely condemned as indecent and inappropriate.
In the same audio clips, Stern also made lewd remarks about the pageant contestants, to which Trump responded without denying the implications. When Stern suggested that as the owner of the pageant, Trump would have been in a position to take advantage of the situation, Trump replied, “I don’t want to hurt their feelings.”
Trump’s comments have only added to the ongoing debate about his treatment of women and the controversies that have followed him throughout his career. The revelations from these audio recordings continue to cast a shadow over his past actions and raise questions about his behavior during his time as a public figure and businessman.
Donald Trump 🇺🇸 once owned the Miss Universe pageant from 1996-2015#POTUS💃🌎 🌟 pic.twitter.com/A1DxavrE4J
— Presidential Wisdom (@PrezWisdom) October 26, 2022
