Melania Trump Divorce? Republican Candidate’s Wife Urged To Dump Donald After Scandalous Tape Emerges
Melania Trump could soon divorce Donald in the wake of the bombshell tape in which he bragged about sexually assaulting women and cheating on his then-pregnant wife.
At least, if she turns to the internet for advice she will be.
Late on Friday afternoon, the Washington Post published an audio tape recorded in 2005 that showed Donald Trump and Access Hollywood host Billy Bush engaged in some degrading banter regarding women. In the audio — which was recorded just months after Donald and Melania were married and when Melania was pregnant with their child — Trump bragged about pursuing married women and aggressively going after women he found attractive.
“I’m automatically attracted to beautiful [women]—I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything… Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything.”
Donald Trump could be heard referencing Melania in the video, saying as he went to hug a woman that Melania had “said this was OK.”
"Melania said this was ok"
No @realDonaldTrump kissing and grabbing woman, just b/c you get away with it, is #sexualAssault #TrumpTapes pic.twitter.com/oLn9uA46Nl
— Tina (@Tina_lbn) October 8, 2016
The fallout was immediate for Donald Trump. A number of Republican backers condemned him, with some withdrawing their previous support. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was scheduled to appear alongside Trump at a major event on Saturday, announced that he would not be appearing with him.
And while Melania Trump has been silent on the issue so far, many people are publicly encouraging her to divorce Donald.
No man or woman with a sense of decency should vote for DT. He's disgusting. Does Melania file for divorce now or when he loses? #TrumpTapes https://t.co/wtUoZPkEOk
— Esther! (@es4ideas) October 8, 2016
I hope Melania can use these in Divorce court #TrumpTapes
— making a living (@maybesomeday587) October 8, 2016
Melania you should divorce Donald Trump! #Cheater ? 2005 audio catches Donald Trump sexually objectifying womenhttps://t.co/k5IzrKpmQ7
— Derenic Byrd (@DerenicByrd) October 7, 2016
Some noted that Melania Trump was nowhere to be seen in the apology video released by Trump in the early morning hours on Saturday. In other scandals regarding badly behaving male politicians, women have often been seen standing by, even if begrudgingly.
"The 'apology' … was only for 'words.' Not groping, harassment, retribution or sexual assault" — @KeithOlbermann https://t.co/irotz2aZJL
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 8, 2016
And there are other rumors surrounding Melania Trump aside from the legion of fans urging her to divorce Donald. A separate report spread claiming that Melania, who has been silent after her controversial appearance at the Republican National Convention, had spoken out publicly to endorse her husband’s opponent.
A website called the Free Wood Post claimed that Melania was not backing Hillary Clinton.
“I’ve come to you because of your accuracy in reporting,” she was quoted as telling the news outlet. “You’ll tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It’s as simple as this. After listening to my husband making those comments about sexually assaulting other women without their permission, I simply cannot stand by and support him for president any longer. I may still have to put up with him, but America shouldn’t have to. That is why I’m announcing my endorsement of Hillary Clinton. Yes, it’s true. I’m with her.”
But as Snopes pointed out — and what was likely clear to anyone who read the quote closely or took a close look at the site — the entire story was a fabrication and the site is parody in the style of The Onion.
There are other reports dragging Melania into the mess that Donald had created with his Trump Tapes scandal. Washington Post reporter Alyssa Rosenberg used Melania as an example of the hypocrisy from right-wingers who tried to blame Hillary Clinton for her husband’s past infidelity but seem to be giving Melania a pass.
“The message is clear, if contradictory. Cool wives give their husbands passes. Bad wives fail to restrain their husbands’ wandering hands and other body parts, but they also immediately acknowledge their husbands are cheating, and … what? I’ve never been clear on this part of the equation. Are the cheated-upon supposed to shut up about it so their husbands can have their fun? Get out of the way without a fight so their husbands can marry someone younger and hotter and in turn be discarded for someone else? Cast some sort of sorcery over the country so their own existences are forgotten, and their cheating husbands can move forward as paragons of virtue?”
There is also no evidence yet that Melania Trump may be considering divorce, as she has not spoken publicly about the Trump Tapes release on Friday. But if she goes to the internet for advice, that may end up being the outcome.
[Featured Image by Evan Vucci/AP Images]
