Donald Trump Shockingly Banned From a Victoria’s Secret Shoot at His Own Resort
Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Carley Margolis
During his time as a New York businessman in the 1990s, Donald Trump was known not only for his real estate empire but also for his relationships with models and beauty pageants. Trump’s fascination with models and his behavior around them became a topic of scrutiny, with some women sharing unsettling stories about their interactions with him.
A recent book by Lauren Sherman and Chantal recounts how Trump’s reputation preceded him, even leading to restrictions being placed on him during professional shoots. One notable incident involved Dutch model Frederique van der Wal, who had a unique condition when Victoria’s Secret wanted to shoot a campaign at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Van der Wal, who knew Trump socially, requested that he be kept away from the shoot.
“I said, the only thing is, you have to sign a contract that you can’t come [to watch the shoot],” she recalled. According to the Daily Mail, Trump adhered to the agreement and did not linger around during the shoot. However, not all models had such control over their interactions with Trump. Several women who participated in the Miss USA beauty pageants, which Trump owned, have shared unsettling accounts of his behavior.
One such case is Tasha Dixon, former Miss Arizona, who recalled an incident from 2001 when Trump entered the dressing room while contestants were undressed. “He just came strolling right in,” Dixon said in a 2016 interview. “There was no second to put a robe on or any sort of clothing. Some girls were topless. Other girls were naked.”
Similarly, former Miss New Hampshire Bridget Sullivan shared her experience with BuzzFeed News, stating that it was “shocking” to see Trump casually walking into the dressing rooms while the women were still changing. “We were all naked,” she recalled, describing the invasive nature of his presence.
Trump himself confirmed these accounts during a 2005 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, where he nonchalantly described walking backstage while the contestants were in various stages of undress. “I’ll tell you, the funniest is that I’ll go backstage before a show and everyone’s getting dressed,” Trump said.
He explained his rationale by saying, “I’m the owner of the pageant, and therefore I’m inspecting it. … ‘Is everybody OK?’ And you see these incredible-looking women, and so I sort of get away with things like that.” Trump’s involvement with the modeling world wasn’t limited to pageants. In the early 1990s, he hosted various competitions for young aspiring models.
In 1991, he sponsored a contest organized by John Casablancas, providing his lavish hotel as the venue and serving as one of the judges. He hosted again in 1992, this time accommodating the models on an elite cruise.
One contestant, Shawna Lee, who was just 14 years old at the time, recalled being pushed to dance for Trump and others, feeling uncomfortable with the request. “I knew in my gut it wasn’t right,” she said. “This wasn’t being judged or part of the competition – it was for their entertainment,” Lee told The Guardian.
These stories, along with others, have contributed to Trump’s controversial reputation regarding his treatment of women, particularly models. Despite these allegations and testimonies, Trump’s behavior during these events has largely gone unchecked, drawing attention to the power dynamics at play in the world of modeling and beauty competitions.
