During a March 2006 appearance on “The View” with his daughter Ivanka, Donald Trump was asked how he would react if Playboy magazine were to ever feature Ivanka’s picture on its cover. Mr. Trump responded:

“I don’t think Ivanka would do that inside the magazine. Although she does have a very nice figure. I’ve said that if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I would be dating her.” 

President Donald J. Trump has a significant and lengthy history of sexual assault and innappropriate behavior allegations

Donald Trump has faced a long-standing pattern of allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior spanning over four decades. Starting in the late 1970s, at least 25 women have publicly accused him of non-consensual touching, kissing, groping, or entering private spaces. Trump has categorically denied all allegations.

One of the earliest incidents involved Jessica Leeds, who in 2016 recalled that on a flight in the late 1970s Trump “reached his hand up her skirt and grabbed her breasts,” describing his behavior as “like an octopus”. Another early accuser, Melinda McGillivray, alleged in 2003 that Trump grabbed her butt at Mar‑a‑Lago during a public event

Among the most widely reported cases is that of Rachel Crooks, who in 2005 said Trump kissed her directly on the mouth without consent outside an elevator in Trump Tower. In the same year, journalist Natasha Stoynoff alleged that Trump forcibly kissed her in a closed room at Mar‑a‑Lago.

Jennifer Murphy, a former Apprentice contestant, also claimed that Trump forcibly kissed her after an interview in 2005. Meanwhile, pageant contestants such as Samantha Holvey and Tasha Dixon reported that Trump intruded into dressing rooms during Miss USA pageants in 2001 and 2006, allegedly touching and inspecting the women inappropriately.

In 2007, adult-film performer Jessica Drake accused Trump of groping and kissing her aggressively at a golf tournament. That same year, model Ninni Laaksonen alleged Trump squeezed her butt before a TV appearance.

Beyond these earlier allegations, a particularly significant case emerged more recently: author E. Jean Carroll sued Trump in 2019. She alleged he raped her in the mid‑1990s in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room, and when she went public, he vehemently denied it, calling her a liar.

Two separate lawsuits ensued. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse (battery) and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million. In a separate case, he was ordered to pay $83.3 million for defaming Carroll in a prior 2019 statement. Both rulings are under appeal.

In parallel, the Access Hollywood “hot microphone” tape from 2005 resurfaced in October 2016, two days before a presidential debate. In it, Trump boasted, “Grab ’em by the pussy… You can do anything.” He apologized, labeling it “locker room talk,” but the remarks were widely perceived as normalizing sexual coercion.

Former host Billy Bush recently revealed that he alerted NBC executives to Trump’s lewd comments on the day — but the network allegedly buried the tape to protect its earnings from The Apprentice. This bombshell indicates internal awareness of Trump’s pattern of behavior years before the tape became public.

Additional allegations have surfaced over time. In 1993, model Stacey Williams claimed Trump groped her when introduced by Jeffrey Epstein. In 1997, Amy Dorris alleged he forcibly kissed and groped her at the U.S. Open.

Over the years, Trump denounced all accusations, often discrediting accusers and describing the claims as politically motivated. Even after verdicts against him, he has labeled Carroll a “whack job” and labeled the processes “rigged”.

The E. Jean Carroll verdict is especially noteworthy as it marked the first time Trump was legally found liable for sexual misconduct. It also shed light on his broader history of inappropriate actions — a history that parallels his own admissions in the Access Hollywood tape.

Despite these repeated allegations, statutes of limitations have expired on many, limiting legal recourse for others. Carroll’s case benefitted from New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily extended filing windows.

While Trump continues to deny wrongdoing — including appealing Carroll’s rulings — public awareness of his conduct remains high. On social media and online platforms like TikTok, younger audiences are encountering the Access Hollywood tape and these allegations anew, reigniting conversations around consent and the #MeToo movement.

In sum, Trump’s history of allegations spans decades and encompasses a range of behaviors, from unwanted kissing and groping to forced encounters and admitted boasts of sexual entitlement. Legal outcomes like Carroll’s case stand out as rare judicial reckonings, but even broader recognition of his conduct has amplified the societal dialogue around power, consent, and accountability.