The world of celebrity interviews is often an exercise in sensationalism, but few figures have provided as much shocking fodder as Donald Trump. Before his political career dominated the global stage, the real estate mogul was known for his blunt, often crude, and always provocative commentary, particularly regarding women.
For years, one of the primary platforms for this uncensored dialogue was The Howard Stern Show, a radio programme that allowed Trump to indulge in a level of candid discussion rarely heard in public life. It is within these archived tapes that some of his most controversial admissions regarding the glamour world he once controlled—the beauty pageant circuit—were uncovered.
'Inspecting' the Pageant Backstage
Donald Trump owned a significant portion of the beauty pageant industry, holding the reins of the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants from 1996 until 2015. His position as the ultimate authority in these competitions afforded him privileges others simply did not have, which he spoke about openly during his appearances with the legendary shock jock.
During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in April 2005, Trump detailed a scenario that, to many, represented an abuse of his ownership power. The topic came up as Stern and Trump discussed the President's involvement in the pageants.
The conversation included a specific moment, highlighted by CNN's KFile of newly uncovered audio, where Stern referenced a rumour that 'some of these foreign girls' greet people 'with vagina,' to which Trump responded by offering a controversial justification for his presence backstage.
'What you could also say is that, as the owner of the pageant, it's your obligation to do that,' Trump said, before elaborating on the mechanism he used to 'get away with' entering the dressing rooms while contestants were naked.
He painted a picture of unfettered access, insisting his presence was part of his duties as the pageant owner and inspector. 'Well, I'll tell you the funniest is that before a show, I'll go backstage and everyone's getting dressed, and everything else, and you know, 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,' Trump explained. 'You know, I'm inspecting because I want to make sure that everything is good.'
He continued, describing the situation with a casual air of privilege: 'You know, the dresses. 'Is everyone okay?' You know, they're standing there with no clothes. 'Is everybody okay?' And you see these incredible looking women, and so, I sort of get away with things like that.'
A Potential Conflict of Interest
The discussion of his access to the contestants naturally led to questions about his personal relationships with them. Stern directly asked Trump if he ever had sexual relations with Miss Universe or Miss USA winners or contestants. Trump's response was evasive, but delivered in a way that left the door open to speculation.
'I never comment on things like that,' Trump replied.
Co-host Artie Lang then attempted to prod further, asking, 'Give us the first letter of the country you had sex with.' Trump responded with a quip: 'How many letters are there?'
Stern then introduced a hypothetical scenario, suggesting that if a contestant were to ask Trump for sex, he wouldn't refuse. Trump replied, seemingly confirming his eagerness to oblige: 'I don't want to hurt their feelings.'
This exchange prompted co-host Robin Quivers to raise a critical ethical point: whether sleeping with the contestants would constitute a conflict of interest given his role as the pageant owner. Trump acknowledged the concern but dismissed it.
'It could be a conflict of interest,' 'But, you know, it's the kind of thing you worry about later, you tend to think about the conflict a little bit later on.'
Unsettling Comments About Ivanka Trump
Beyond the pageant contestants, Trump also repeatedly discussed his daughter, Ivanka Trump, on the show, often in a manner that many found unsettling.
He discussed her appearance, including the size of her breasts, with the hosts. In an October 2006 interview, Stern remarked that Ivanka 'looks more voluptuous than ever,' and asked if she had undergone breast enhancement surgery. Trump engaged willingly, assuring Stern that his daughter had not had implants.
'She's actually always been very voluptuous,' Trump responded, adding, 'She's tall, she's almost 6 feet tall and she's been, she's an amazing beauty.'
In an earlier interview, from September 2004, the conversation took a more vulgar turn when Stern asked if he could refer to Ivanka as 'a piece of a--.' Trump granted permission, responding to the query about his own daughter: 'My daughter is beautiful, Ivanka.'
These repeated comments, documented over several years of interviews, provided an unprecedented, unvarnished look into the public figure's approach to women and power long before he became a major political figure.
