Natasha Stoynoff

Natasha Stoynoff and Donald J. Trump: Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

On December 9, 2005, Natasha Stoynoff, a veteran People magazine writer, alleges Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted her during an interview at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Stoynoff claims that while touring the property for a feature on Trump’s first wedding anniversary with Melania—then pregnant—Trump led her into a private room, shut the door, and forcibly kissed her, pushing his tongue into her mouth and pinning her against a wall. The assault stopped when a butler entered with water, prompting Trump to remark, “You know we’re going to have an affair” (Web ID: 5). She was 40; he was 59.

Stoynoff confided in six colleagues and friends soon after, including her editor and a journalism professor, who later corroborated her story to People (Web ID: 5). She went public on October 12, 2016, in a People article, spurred by the Access Hollywood tape’s October 7 release and Trump’s debate claim that he’d “never” assaulted women (Web ID: 11). Her account joined over two dozen similar allegations during his 2016 campaign.

Trump denied Stoynoff’s allegations, calling them “fake news” in an October 13, 2016, West Palm Beach speech, suggesting she wasn’t attractive enough—“Look at her!”—to warrant his interest (Web ID: 8). His campaign labeled her story a fabrication, a stance echoed by 2025 X posts (Post ID: 3). Melania Trump, present at Mar-a-Lago that day, has never commented publicly.

Stoynoff’s allegations gained renewed traction in May 2023 when she testified in E. Jean Carroll’s civil trial (Carroll v. Trump, Case No. 20-cv-7311) in Manhattan. Her detailed recounting—backed by six witnesses—helped secure Carroll’s $5M sexual abuse and defamation verdict (Web ID: 15). In October 2024, Stoynoff appeared in an Anti-Psychopath PAC ad, narrated by George Conway, urging voters to reject Trump’s second-term bid by highlighting his “predatory history” (Web ID: 6).

In 2025, as Trump began his second term on January 20, Stoynoff, now 59, spoke to NBC News on February 18, detailing the “vicious” X backlash—e.g., posts calling her a “washed-up hack” (Post ID: 7)—post-inauguration (Web ID: 3). “The toll is real, but survivors deserve a voice,” she said, linking her story to Carroll’s win and hinting at future advocacy with groups like RAINN if Trump targets accusers again (Web ID: 3). As of March 9, she’s filed no lawsuits but remains a vocal figure in the #MeToo discourse.