Former Playboy playmate and Sawyer, MI resident Karen McDougal, detailed her 1o-month long affair with Donald Trump to CNN's Anderson Cooper earlier this week. The affair began in 2006 — just a year after his marriage to Melania and within months of the birth of their son Barron.
McDougal, who is suing to void an agreement she signed with American Media Inc. (owners of The National Enquirer) months before the 2016 presidential election, claims her story was purchased and killed to protect the candidacy of Donald Trump. She now wants out of the $150,000 agreement much like the very public allegations and hush money deal made by adult film star Stormy Daniels who shared her story in InTouch Weekly last month.
McDougal is now one of 19 women who
Here's what we learned:
McDougal met Trump at the Playboy mansion during the filming of Celebrity Apprentice in 2006 where he asked for her phone number.
"I thought it would be nice to communicate with him and talk to him. I actually at that point didn't consider dating or going out with him. But I just think he's an interesting person. He's brilliant and I like smart minds."
"I was attracted to him, yes. He's a nice-looking man. And, you know, I liked his charisma. I think I love — you know, great posture. He's got great posture. And he was nice."
The first time they had sex, Trump tried to pay her by handing her a wad of cash after which McDougal cried in the backseat while being chauffeured home by Trump's bodyguard.
"I don't even know how to describe the look on my face must have been so sad because I had never been offered money like that before, number one. But number two, I thought, does he think I'm in this for the money or why I'm here tonight? I looked at him and said, 'That's not me. I'm not that kind of girl.'"
Trump compared McDougal to his daughter Ivanka.
"He said I was beautiful like her and, you know, 'You're a smart girl.' And there wasn't a lot of comparing, but there was some, yes. I heard a lot about her."
"You know, he, he's very proud of Ivanka, as he should be. I mean, she's a brilliant woman. She's beautiful. She's, you know, that's his daughter, and he should be proud of her."
When asked about the infamous Access Hollywood "pussy grabbing" recording, she says she was "mortified."
"I was disgusted. I had not seen that in him at all. I didn't see that side of him until I started watching TV and, you know, that's not the man I knew. So, I was kind of disgusted on those comments. I have brothers. I've heard my brothers say things, but that was pretty bad."
And said her story probably would not have damaged his chance at the presidency.
“You’ve seen the other stories about him, it didn’t hurt him. Could it have been damaging politically? Probably not."
She was flown out to a golf event in Lake Tahoe — the same event Stormy Daniels claimed as her first encounter with Trump."My first thought is how could she have been with him when I was with him? The only time we weren't together on that particular trip was when he was on the golf course golfing. Now, I do remember him saying, 'Oh, there are a bunch of porn stars out there. They were wanting photos of me.' I can't imagine when he found time except for maybe the day I left."
She ended the affair out of guilt in 2007 and took an opportunity to apologize to Melania.
"What can you say except I'm sorry? I'm sorry. I wouldn't want it done to me."
Other delicious tidbits include:
- She voted for Trump.
- She had "many of his phone numbers."
- They were in love and he told her he loved her "constantly."
Watch the full interview here or read the transcript.
Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.
