Colleagues, friends back People writer's Trump attack claim
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Former People writer Natasha Stoynoff's account of being attacked by Donald Trump has now been corroborated by six colleagues and friends. People published statements from Stoynoff's close friends, coworkers, and former journalism professor, confirming that she had told them about about the incident and her distress over whether to come forward about it. Stoynoff claims that when she was profiling Trump and his then-pregnant wife Melania for People in December 2005, Trump shoved her up against a wall and forced his tongue "down [her] throat."
One friend, Liza Herz, said she was with Stoynoff when she bumped into Melania on Fifth Avenue, an incident Melania has denied. "I was never friends with her, I would not recognize her," Melania told CNN on Monday. However, Herz said the two "chatted in a friendly way," and she specifically recalled Melania "carrying a child and wearing heels."
Stoynoff's coworker Liza Hamm said she remembers Stoynoff telling her she "asked to be taken off the Trump beat, but she tried her best to move past the experience and continue to do her job well." Her former journalism professor, Paul McLaughlin, said he recalls advising her to "not to say anything" because he thought Trump "would deny it and try to destroy her."
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.
Since Stoynoff came forward with her story last week, Trump has denied the incident, insisting that "she lies" and remarking, "Look at her, I don't think so."
Head to People to read the rest of the statements.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Minnesota's legal system buckles under Trump's ICE surgeIN THE SPOTLIGHT Mass arrests and chaotic administration have pushed Twin Cities courts to the brink as lawyers and judges alike struggle to keep pace with ICE’s activity
-
Big-time money squabbles: the conflict over California’s proposed billionaire taxTalking Points Californians worth more than $1.1 billion would pay a one-time 5% tax
-
‘The West needs people’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’