Are you fabulously wealthy, ostentatiously attired, convinced President Obama is a secret Muslim Kenyan, and a personal acquaintance of Donald J. Trump? If yes, Trumpettes USA may be the elite new club for you.
Founded by a group of happy members of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, the Trumpettes came together after connecting over their mutual love of all things Trump at a gala at the Beverly Hilton. Now they meet, bedecked in oversized jewels and surrounded by gilded photos taken with their good friends, Bill and Hillary Clinton, to talk and fundraise for the Trump campaign.
The group is mostly composed of women around Trump's age, but also includes Pat Boone, a pop singer who was only surpassed by Elvis for chart-topping hits back in the 1950s and early 1960s. They are particularly incensed by allegations that their candidate and his supporters are racist. "I was raised by a black nanny, there's no prejudice on my side," said Toni Holt Kramer, a Trumpette organizer. "I'm not bigoted." The main way Trump's campaign could be better, another member mused, would be more birtherism, alluding to a conspiracy theory that President Obama is not an American citizen.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But perhaps the most fascinating tidbit about the Trumpettes is this exchange, sparked by Kramer's mention of her many minority employees whose existence, she believes, disproves all charges of bigotry:
For example, there is Maria, Kramer's housekeeper. "Maria is one of our Trumpettes who has converted her entire church," Kramer said, describing her as part of the family. "She's Latina."Maria, a U.S. citizen from Mexico, cited her opposition to abortion in explaining why she was voting Republican, but she disappeared into the kitchen instead of joining the group discussion. [Politico]
Read the whole profile over at Politico.
-
Political cartoons for October 26Cartoons Sunday’s editorial cartoons include Young Republicans group chat, Louvre robbery, and more
-
Why Britain is struggling to stop the ransomware cyberattacksThe Explainer New business models have greatly lowered barriers to entry for criminal hackers
-
Greene’s rebellion: a Maga hardliner turns against TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
