PoliticsMelania Trump 'Deeply Upset' by Karen McDougal's Alleged Affair With Donald Trump — More So Than Stormy Daniels, CNN Star Claims
As Donald Trump's hush money trial continues, his wife, Melania Trump, is likely trying to tune out all the noise that comes with it as he's been accused of having an affair with Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal while he was married to the model, 53.
On Tuesday, April 23, Kaitlan Collins spoke about former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and how he allegedly hid the ex-president's affairs while at the magazine.
Melania Trump shares son Barron with Donald Trump.
"And obviously this is going to be a really sensitive moment in this trial, which is how personal this will be for Donald Trump. Karen McDougal is one of the most personal parts of this because she alleged not only that they had an affair, she said they had a relationship," Collins claimed. "And this was something that when, I know from covering the White House and covering Melania Trump, it was deeply upsetting for the first, the former first lady, Melania Trump, and it created a rift in the relationship between her and Donald Trump. Everyone talks about Stormy Daniels and yes, that certainly was there as well. But Karen McDougal I, we were told at the time, agitated Melania Trump more so, actually, than Stormy Daniels had."
Karen McDougal allegedly had a relationship with Donald Trump.
Paula Reid also chimed in, noting that Trump and Daniels' alleged relationship appeared to be "transactional," and the adult film star was only talk to him because she wanted to be on The Apprentice.
"And once it’s clear that wasn’t going to happen, she sort of dropped him," Reid stated. "The Karen McDougal — as she tells the story, it was, you know, from her viewpoint, a romantic relationship that went on for some time, traveling together. It was much more of an intimate relationship, again, according to her account of events. So, it’s completely understanding why that would be frustrating and annoying to Melania and something that Trump would not want out in the public."
Donald Trump denies any wrongdoing.
According to Pecker, ex-editor-in-chief of the National Enquirer Dylan Howard called him in June 2016 about a Playboy model trying to sell the story about the relationship she had with Trump for a year.
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Donald Trump is currently in the midst of his hush money trial.
"As I noted, it was a longer relationship, not just simply a one time affair," Collins said.
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As OK! previously reported, Melania is likely waiting for this drama to be over.
"I would imagine that she is pushing him to make this stop. I would imagine that she would push him to go on the stand and defend himself because this is very, very embarrassing for her. It's humiliating for her, and I can guarantee you that she's not happy right now and that he's quite worried about that," former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said during an interview with CNN.
In a statement, an attorney for Howard, John B. Harris, told OK!:
It is by now clear that Dylan Howard’s actions were at the behest of, and for the benefit of, the publisher of The National Enquirer. They have previously been documented extensively. Similarly, as David Pecker testified as to “catch-and-kill," Mr. Howard did not determine which stories regarding Mr. Trump would be run by the publication.
He regrets that he is unable to travel to New York to testify in order to provide his own knowledge and viewpoint, rather than have his actions characterized by third-parties, including his former employer.
Mr. Howard has never been accused or charged with any crime, let alone any regulatory violation. To the contrary, he received statutory immunity when he testified as a witness in this case last year. He had previously cooperated voluntarily with a New York federal case, and was offered (and accepted) an assurance by the United States Justice Department that he would not be prosecuted.
Further, in May 2021, the Federal Election Commission concluded that it lacked a sufficient basis to bring election law violations against Mr. Howard and specifically excluded him from the ambit of its conciliation agreement with his former employer.
