Temple Taggart McDowell

Temple Taggart McDowell and Donald J. Trump: Allegations of Unwanted Advances

In February 1997, Temple Taggart McDowell, then 21 and crowned Miss Utah USA, competed in the Miss USA pageant in Shreveport, Louisiana, an event owned by Donald J. Trump through the Miss Universe Organization. She alleges that during rehearsals on February 7, Trump approached her, introduced himself, then embraced her and kissed her on the lips without consent. McDowell, expecting a handshake, told The New York Times she was “stunned” by the “sloppy” kiss (Web ID: 8). She claims a second incident occurred later that week at a New York meeting, where Trump again kissed her on the lips uninvited (Web ID: 11).

The encounters unsettled McDowell and her pageant chaperone, who instructed staff to ensure she was never alone with Trump thereafter. She kept the incidents private until May 14, 2016, when she detailed them to The New York Times, spurred by the Access Hollywood tape’s fallout and her role as a mother. “I have the right to say no,” she said, aiming to highlight boundaries, not politics (Web ID: 8). Her story joined over two dozen allegations against Trump that election season.

Trump denied McDowell’s claims in a May 2016 statement, saying, “I don’t even know who she is,” and calling her account “false” and “ridiculous” (Web ID: 8). At an October 2016 rally, he added, “I don’t kiss strangers on the lips,” dismissing her as a publicity seeker (Web ID: 11). His campaign suggested political timing, a narrative echoed by 2025 X supporters (Post ID: 3).

McDowell, a registered Republican, insisted her disclosure wasn’t partisan, distancing herself from anti-Trump agendas despite voting third-party in 2016 (Web ID: 8). Her allegations gained traction in the #MeToo era, resurfacing in a 2023 Vox piece tying them to E. Jean Carroll’s civil win, though she never pursued legal action due to emotional toll and expired statutes (Web ID: 15).

In 2025, as Trump began his second term on January 20, McDowell, now 49, spoke to Deseret News on February 12, addressing renewed X attacks calling her a “liar” (Post ID: 6) post-inauguration (Web ID: 3). “It’s not about party; it’s about respect,” she said, linking her story to Carroll’s 2023 verdict but ruling out lawsuits due to family priorities (Web ID: 3). As of March 9, her account remains a notable part of the discourse on Trump’s pageant-era conduct.