Never been a Melania fan. She is an original birther,,,even speaking about it on The View several years ago. SHAME on her.
83
Of course Melania knew! When a serial adulterer hits you up, you know he will do the same thing if and when he marries you. Why do you think Callista Gingrich never leaves Newt alone for a second?
But I wouldn't feel one scintilla of pity for Melania. Clearly there was something else in it for her. Specifically, it's all about the Benjamins.
87
If it doesn't matter to the Evangelical leaders and their flocks, how can it matter to anyone else?
37
Knowing made no difference.
It still doesn't.
20
But don't you know Charles that female human nature is an excuse, but male human nature is not? Melania enables as she is enriched - and feminists have nothing to say about it. It doesn't fit the narrative of "women: good, men:bad" and "patriarchy is only a product of men and only benefits men". I am inclined to believe that those who benefit from crime should be prosecuted as if they committed the crime themselves. Female human nature - or feminine weakness - is not an excuse. Melania deserves scorn and more.
33
Of course she knew! Marriage of citizenship convenience. Whilst we have her bouts of disobedience, she's still with him, speaks up for him, despite the separate bedrooms!.
She's made her bed, got the riches and let's confine her to her true status of a convenient adornment.
43
It is obvious that Melania did not want her current status as first lady, and she had good reason for that. She is now paying the price for being married to one of the most misogynistic, boorish figures in American political history.
Her husband has not cut her any cultural slack-because he does not know how to do that. After his eventual political and cultural disgrace, Melania should think about her real life and where it may lead. She may want to step out of her model mode and think about education and a different career for herself. She must first escape the Trump/Kustner evils and become her own woman.
28
To the question, "Why Trump?" Melania said, "Because of his mind." I think it was an excerpt in CNN.
13
I have no use for Melania's morals or dignity in deciding to marry and remain married to this Pig (or to father his child), but his getting caught with his pants pulled down does not impinge her dignity - she is no less than she was before just because the wider public got further confirmation that he was porking others while married - she is who she is all on her own.
33
One thing in all this is good news and of huge value: Trump got the Right to reveal itself. He got their pundits to show themselves as rationalizing shills. He got their Evangelicals to reveal themselves as parochial hypocrites. He got their leaders to show themselves as depraved prostitutes for a handful of Americans against the interests of the nation. This couldn't have been done by the Democrats.
87
Melania -
PLEASE - this is your opportunity to be a heroine: divorce him.
17
Melania is a coward for not sticking up for women's rights and she is married to a cyber bully who has a very bad reputation and gloats on his wealth to entice the women towards him. She isn't as dumb as you think she is she knows full well she could divorce him and get money and still get money thru our government that we pay for his terrible abuse of power. He travels so much that the funding for the secret service people can't even get paid for protecting the clown car and his executives who know nothing of running a government I could run circles around their executives! The clown car needs to stop spending and pass gun laws against the NRA. Period!
15
My only hope it that with #MeToo, our media, our institutions, men and women, will stop giving a free pass to men who behave like this. Trump was as much of an open secret as Weinstein. If we had true equal rights 30 years ago, we wouldn't have had Trump.
14
Hillary knew too.
25
When Bill's sexual behavior came out, there had been so many absurd conspiracy stories out about the Clintons, I really did at first write all that off as another wild conspiracy tale, like Vince Foster being murdered and like all those alleged drug homicides in Mena, Arkansas.
I have accepted now that Bill was a total sleaze. But his sleaziness was nowhere near the scale of The Donald, who even had the nerve to brag that evading STDs during his days on the deadly night club trail in Ho Chi Manhattan was his personal Vietnam.
At least Bill Clinton never dishonored military veterans as a part of his ragged unruly hurtful sex life.
And Obama, well, the Obamas will be remembered for their classy high-roading and their absolute lack of sleaze and the positive energy they gave out to normal, non-camera-ready women everywhere.
69
I thought Trump was disgusting way before he decided to run for President.
I was completely shocked the day after he was elected.
I am not happy that my country has a game show host as President.
I'm writing to my elected state officials every month asking them to impeachment of this fool.
62
I see, Melania is.... This column is beneath you and the Times. First time I've commented, though not the first time I thought you were off base. Just way, way off base on this one. Trump derangement syndrome. Pay attention to the policy, please, and do right by the readers.
22
And ALL those Christian Women think this is OK ......well I know their husbands are happy!!!!!!!!!!!!
22
Let's not also forget that now First lady Melania made several appearances on Howard Stern with Trump where she humiliatingly described their sex life and Trump's "prowess" in fairly graphic language. Funny that these little tidbits never get brought up by the Christian right when they discuss the first couple, who are their standard bearers. #sheknew
37
Lewd and tawdry?!? It all seems rather mild compared to the multiple rape allegations leveled at Bill Clinton. What's the point here Charles - to hurt 11 year old Barron? Trump and Melania could care less. Pick your targets with at least of modicum of respect as to their age.
13
Why are you dragging Melania Trump into this sordid mess? Has the NYT suddenly adopted the journalistic standards of the National Enquirer? Whether or not Mrs. Trump "knew" about her husband's behavioral traits before their marriage is irrelevant to any issue at hand. Although she is First Lady, she has no public policy role that is affected by the latest salacious allegations. There are many legitimate subjects that can be explored about the Daniels affair, but attacking Mrs. Trump for marrying the President is not one of them. You demean yourself, your message, and the journalistic standards of this great newspaper, by making these bizarre allegations against Melania Trump.
21
Where is a Democrat "HARRY TRUMAN" to stand up against this Money Machine we have in the White House
Of course if CNN and MSNBC give him all the coverage at his Ralleys we will never get rid of Trump the liar!
3
Free Melania! She is blameless for her husbands misdeeds. She never reckoned that she would be in the position she is in; she just thought she could get rich by marrying a rich man. Send a task force from Manhattan to whisk her away and change her identity.
6
Maybe Melania hired Cohen to buy Stormy Daniels' silence.
9
Those of us who are versed in the Playboy Philosophy know exactly where Trump is coming from. Trump is a Hugh Hefner frat boy.
9
And all the pious evangelicals all say... nothing. Melania went into this with her "eyes wide shut". She'll divorce this sorry, cheating buffoon before his term is over.
9
Melania aided and abetted her husband’s disgusting birtherism campaign against President Obama, which went on for 5 years. She lied about her education, immigration, and plagerized portions of a speech given by First Lady Michelle Obama. I could care less about her sham marriage. It will certainly end once we remove her husband from office.
50
Wasn't Trump's Grandad, Fred Trump, the owner of a brothel in Alaska? Using sex trade workers is in the Trump DNA. As a Slovenian fashion model who had worked the major runways in Europe, Melania knew all the tricks of the trade (no pun intended), including how to speed up an immigration process.
Money buys you just everything, doesn't it, eh?
23
I couldn't finish this article the portrait was too disgusting. This profiles the man-child that now lives in our White House: A pernicious virus of misogynist and evil origins. E W
10
Let's take a minute to imagine IF it were a Democratic President (or ANY one not part of the Republican "leadership" or mega-buck crony "committees" (so called think tanks, Koch backed groups, etc., etc) that was cited as a cheater, repeated sexual abuser and harasser...
It would be 24/7 on Fox "news" "fair and balanced" plus on all the actual purveyors of "Fake News" like Rush, Alex, Laura, Kellyanne, and SO many more...
Calling for investigation (remember Benghazi), Pizza parlor kiddie porn ring, "lock him up" and the 'halcyon days' of lil hypocrite Kenny Starr, and the lovely and talented trump ally Newt "family values" Gingrich.
Not to mention the incredibly elastic ethical and moral compass of such patriots as Mitch McCONnell and Paul Ryan, et al!
Gee, "I'm shocked, shocked..." to paraphrase Claude Raines in Casablanca.
VOTE Them OUT !!!
21
Charles:
I rarely, if ever, agree with your politics but this is a lowvblowv(no pun intended) even for you.
What business is if yours or anyone else if Melanie knew about her husband’s affairs.
I found your column to be mean-spirited and petty.
You and the New ayorknatimes should be ashamed.
10
Jeez. With this column, the 'resistance' is now officially lame.
8
Frank, Great article. Thank you.
But, here's the thing. Mr. Trump has a following. They have made it clear that their PARAMOUNT, single, most important criteria in politics and policy and life is this: They hate "Democrats"...we don't really know why, but they do. This is what they have told us:
1. They prefer adulterers to Democrats.
2. They prefer pedophiles to Democrats.
3. They prefer treasonists to Democrats.
4. They prefer liars to Democrats.
5. They prefer tax cheats to Democrats.
6. They prefer Nazi's to Democrats.
7. They prefer the KKK to Democrats.
8. They prefer anti-Semites to Democrats.
There is no way, given the list above, that they will hold DJT or Melania to account with respect to this sordid, icky episode. I don't think there is anything...ANYTHING...that could dissuade these people from their blind allegiance...and their blind, venomous, unfounded hatred of their fellow man.
30
Give her a break Charles. There’s plenty more important topics you could put your energy towards. This is just lazy enquirer junk!
11
There is no depth to Donald Trump. He's neither 2- nor 3-dimensional. He's one-dimensional and that dimension is all about Trump himself.
Trump's affair with a porn star says much about him but Melania's response says reams about her character. Like Trump, she ain't no angel.
9
I'm shocked -- stunned, actually -- that a regular New York Times columnist would write something like this about someone's personal life. I mean Mrs. Trump's, not his. She has been the quietest First Lady and cuts a very reluctant figure.
Sure, that our disgusting pig of a President paid off a porn star, that his lawyer and he have lied about it, that more disgrace has been brought on our White House and our country -- that's worth writing about. But nobody should bring Mrs. Trump or worse, their minor son, into this. Off limits. None of your business, none of our business. Shame.
13
What a waste of a column. You're right Charles. Everyone knew and knows. Trump can sleep with whomever he wants at any time - his supporters knew and know. They'll vote for him again in 2020. To sort of quote the current white house occupant - "I could stand on Broadway in broad daylight and shoot a broad. Or a man. Doesn't matter. My supporters don't care."
Now please get on with your life Charles. How about an investigation into the Clintons? I bet Maureen Dowd would be happy to join you in that endeavor.
7
What you write...all true. However, I have no sympathy for Melania Trump or any other woman who is or has been involved with DJT. In my opinion, they are no better than the guy they've -- to put it mildly -- bedded.
14
It is impossible to know what Melania actually knew. Impossible.
17
I also think about another First Lady who remained silent despite the humiliations she suffered with her husband's multiple, barely hidden, indescretions. One who reportedly only remained in a marriage because the father of a future president payed her a million dollars to not divorce him after she suffered a miscarriage while her husband was fooling around in Greece with some model or someone. Of course this president was JFK who the press loved and never reported about his affairs, prostitutes, etc. Yet Jackie is a saint.
34
The fact is that many if not most of the Presidents had "relationships" with women who were not their wives. It was well known that Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan, and Bush had "involvements". The only President in my lifetime I never heard any "involvements" about was Harry Truman.
Also, it is well known that many of the first Presidents were slave owners. So, guess what?
8
Of course Melania knew. Recall the GQ spread of her on a fur, in Trump's plane, handcuffed to a briefcase full of cash. She has made her fortune in the world in the same way Stormy Daniels did, she just got more than she bargained for in the end.
50
Of course she knew all along. That's how she got to meet the fraudulent megalomaniac. In fact she was already pregnant with Barron before she married the fraud. Now, let's face it, money is money and she is willing to withstand the humiliation for the millions she thinks she will get in the end. However, due to the fellow's prenup, if she leaves the cheater now she won't get a penny. Oh, money, money.
12
Enough Mr. Blow. The President is fair game. But when you start picking on women you have gone too far. Your blame the woman triad is out of bounds. In the words of Pres Obama "cut it out"!
16
For a good long while, I have been struggling to understand why any woman, ANY WOMAN, would support Donald Trump. To you women, I say with complete sincerity, what is wrong with you!? What else has this man done for you that would ever, could ever, forgive his complete objectification of women? The only reason we're not all wearing burkas and confined to our homes is that Donald never stops shopping. Think about it.
22
Even though you want to feel sorry for her, you have to ask: Why try to defend this man who has betrayed you, insulted women all over this great nation and the world? Melania needs to get out, get her son, the money and run back to Slovenia. The longer she stays the more she is complicit. Gosh, she could find a job anywhere. Why stay with this corrupt inept and dirty family?
17
Charles...what about Paula, Juanita, and Kathleen? I believe the women.
20
Americans Knew
trump has never tried to hide his vile personality instead he shoves our faces in his debauchery and cruelty yet enough American voted for him to win the electoral college yet instead wealth and fame we get conned and left with a vastly diminished America and skyrocketing inequality.
15
There is overwhelming evidence that Trump does not have a moral compass and will never admit to any wrongdoing (unless it could earn him a ton of money). Therefore he will never resign. His term will only end if others force him out of office, and there is no evidence that Republicans would even consider such as well-justified action. Worse, a significant fraction of evangelicals has made a pact with the devil overlooking or even forgiving Trump's disgusting behavior. How low will we sink until we hit the bottom?
19
Trump shares behavior patterns with Charlie Sheen. His word patterns, such as "winning" are likewise similar. I understood Charlie Sheen paid people hush money as well.
If Charlie Sheen had hidden all of his past information, but was in Trump's shoes now, I would think the country would want to know all the sordid details because it does go to the fitness to hold office.
6
He rewards (at least as he defines "reward" in his egocentric worldview) the woman who acquiesce to being treated as objects for his amusement, and punishes those who show any independence from the patriarchy.
9
a woman overlooking a rich man's philandering behaviour in exchange for a life of wealth and luxury ?
that's never happened before - lol ...
24
if all those women voted for him how much can all this mater.
4
Maybe she knew, or maybe she deceived herself into thinking she could reform the rake. Or, maybe she went hunting for a rich playboy. Now, two guesses, who am I talking about?
The wife or the mistress?
2
So Trump is a libertine. I think saying he is a misogynist is perhaps going a bit too far.
You could with the easy line: “if Melania knew and she didn’t have a problem, why should you?”
Trump hasn’t done anything criminal. He does have a mouth.
But the guy is moving bricks- he had the gall to consider a stand against NRA, he moved North Korea, cut the taxes, went against public opinion on steel tarriffs.
And guess what - regardless of what he said on Access Hollywood - he is disrupting the status quo.
While you Mr. Blow pen from your air conditioned room. In Manhattan?
11
Everything about Trump is transactional. He is incapable of normal human relationships.
His marriage is nothing more that a transaction. No love, no caring, no shared interests or values.
He got a trophy wife and she got a $50 million prenup. That is the sum total of their marriage.
29
I don't care about the wife. She is so insignificant in this unstable world.
I care about my country.
That is what matters.
18
As I recall Trump was also quoted as saying he would give Melania a week to lose her pregnancy weight after Barron was born. Such a kind man!
15
Why be surprised, he thinks he is still on his reailty show. Just a larger audience.
7
Melania still has almost three years to go as First Lady, chained to the Presidency. That's right: the office, not the guy who is flaunting it every which way. Whatever she knew or we think she might know doesn't really matter because it's really none of our business. Can you actually imagine being married to Donald Trump? What happens after he's out of office will be the proof of the pudding and that's still a long way off. Until then, it's pitiable to ask what she knows.
5
The prenuptial agreement is probably interesting reading. Melania is not stupid. I am sure that she knew that her time as wife would be both humiliating and limited. So what did she ask in return for this?
9
Thank you for standing up for the other half of the population that Trump talks about as if they were mere possessions one accumulates. Melania is no victim: she is part of the facilitation women can play in this outmoded system.
11
It the Founding Fathers had truly believed this to be a Christian Nation (thank goodness they didn't), America would be consumed by fire and brimstone by now. That millions of alleged followers of Christ have "built unto themselves" a modern-day Golden Calf with a Trump symbol branded in it forehead' makes it even less likely that traditional avenues of healing during a nation's upheaval-will take place.
As each new assault on the mind, emotions, intellect takes place; every news cycle- it is almost impossible to comfort oneself with thoughts of the decency and integrity of the man who occupied the White House a mere 15 months ago: Where do we turn- except the Secular process of The Vote.
15
I think that reasonable people will resoundingly agree that none of the Trumps are models for anything admirable.
15
I'm sorry, but I don't see why Mrs. Trump is the subject of this kind of column, especially coming from Mr. Blow, whose opinions and viewpoint I normally respect. Mrs. Trump hasn't inserted herself into this tawdry spectacle, and there's no reason for the outside press to do so.
Mr. Trump's actions speak for themselves ,and if you want to write about THOSE, go right ahead, but Mrs. Trump ought to be left out of things as the subject of columns (and headlines) until there is some valid reason to be writing about her.
This isn't it.
16
Lets not forget the playboy playmate, whose affair dates shortly after the Stormy Daniels affair. Its time to utter that word everyone is avoiding. No, not impeachment. Divorce.
7
There is a price on everything.
1
She knew. Everyone knows. Few really care.
8
I would like to feel sorry for Melania but alas, I cannot. I think she knew exactly what she was doing. She is as adept at lying as her husband. Five languages? Architectural degree? Please. The fact that she is now the object of pity is bewildering. I think she knew exactly what she was doing and she knew precisely who "The Donald" was. Everyone did.
I don't feel that she has redeemed herself in any way as "First Lady". These little photos op's that she does with her icy indifference, does not really count. The Caped Crusader is completely aloof and just looks bored most of the time.
29
Donald Trump repeatedly disparages our society's basic norms of decency, empathy, honesty and integrity.
A glaring example of irony and hypocrisy conjured up by Trump's bizarre character is that, for decades, he has indulged in promiscuous sexual behavior. However, he now declares that school sexual education classes should teach sexual abstinence and avoid information about contraceptives.
Also, he opposes employer health insurance coverage for contraceptives, and he appoints people who oppose contraceptives to lead federal programs which help fund contraceptives for low-income women.
25
Please leave her out of it. I know her husband thinks everything is fair game, but we are more decent than that. I have never heard her utter undue praise for her husband or his behavior, say any of the mean things he says, or otherwise act like a jerk since her husband put her in the political spotlight. There is no need to throw her into the sewer too-- it serves no one's interest for good.
15
I am disappointed in this opinion piece. Everyone already knows what kind a person Trump is and what the people around him have to be like, to deal with him. This has no traction. The plain fact is that a large chunk of people are willing to put up with his failings in this area in exchange for his policy promises. Again and again we are letting Trump set the agenda. Let's focus the talk on policies that will deliver on the rights of women, and how to revive the rust belt, healthcare for the middle class. etc. These sorts of policy topics are the only way to undermine his support. This is where there is traction in the political discourse. Once the friends of the laid-off coal miner can see there is a party that has policies that focus on their specific interests, they will drop Trump and kick him on the way down. It is not by coincidence that many policies of Bernie were adopted in Trumps rhetoric.
4
Melania, the Republican Party and America all knew more or less exactly the piece of bloviating human Trump trash it was hooking up with and why they were doing it with money and greed placed well ahead of love and principle.
What is most deeply concerning is the fact that the Democrats have still not cleaned house and called to account their senior leadership team for their colossal failure to beat Trump.
It is surely time for people like Schumer and Pelosi to gracefully step aside and let the next generation of Democratic leadership step up to the battle of making America sane again.
7
"Each of us must proclaim that this situation is over the line, that women matter, that their voices and their stories matter, that propriety, honor and character matter." I love this line. I wish more people agreed. But we llive in an age where Evangelicans give Trump a morality "mulligan" simply because he is Republican and willing to pack the court with conservatives judges who might one day override Woe v. Wade. What a sad time.
7
This man is so far beyond the pale that it is hard to understand why Melania puts up with the increased public humiliation that seems to be compounded weekly. I have always wondered whether her significant delay in moving to the WH was due to having her attorneys negotiate for an even larger settlement if she stays through his term. Which makes me wonder further: is she hoping impeachment cuts it short?
5
Mr. Blow, don't go so low. let the facts speak for themselves. either that or start working for E! this is low-hanging fruit. where's the "news" (new fact) in your piece? NYT just an aggregator these days?
8
Republicans gave up honor, integrity and dignity long ago.
11
WHO CARES? Why are you wasting space for this on your editiorial page.
16
This is a clickbait headline.
8
Charles, what are you saying?
She knew. So she knew.
I agree with you. Trump is a pig. You know it, I know it, Melania knows it, who doesn't?
Trump has made it acceptable to be a pig.
Even to fundamentalist Christians.
Where do we go from here?
Is it possible to repair the damage this man and his supporters have done to us.
25
I am so sick of reading about dirty Donnie and his sickening behavior. Can I please have a day of reading your paper without reading about this fool. I don't care about Melania but do feel a concern for her son.
6
Defamation of a porn star? Get a grip.
6
I can’t stand Trump or the GOP. But Charles Blow needs to be retired.
14
i hope, that at the end of the day, she can walk away with some self-respect and a minimum of $100,000,000 from this jerk!
5
Melania is paid very well for being Mrs. 45. Otherwise, would she have anything to do with the stupid slob? Would any woman?
19
If melania is not fair game why was Michelle? Hillary (obviously her time as First Lady). And if anyone has been raked over the coals by the times certainly Hillary has claim to that title
14
She married El Trumpo. Of course she knows he's a pig. But business is business, and if you dive face first into into a cess pool you are going to stink. How much money does it take to wash that off?
10
When Trump is gone, will Mr. Blow have any reason to live? Mr. Blow is obsessed with Trump to a degree that it is unseemly, and for the Times to encourage, or at least not discourage, this increasingly unhealthy fixation is a form of editorial malpractice. The best one can hope is that Mr. Blow is simply cranking out these columns in an hour or two and devoting the rest of his time (and the entirety of his intellect and wit) to a book project on a completely unrelated subject. Please let that be the case.
8
I can't believe the NYT would stoop to publish something as mean and nasty as this.
15
Sometimes the truth is mean and nasty. Sometimes the President is mean and nasty. Sometimes you have to write an article about both. Toughen up a little - it's going to be a mean and nasty ride.
15
She is in it for her son. She doesn't seem to want to be in the spotlight of his current Job.
I don't much like him in his current job, he is though showing us where Our other elected officials tend to stand. They stand by guys that mistreat others. They want to get away with things that he gets away with.
That sucking sound is the dying of morals in this country. Going down the drain into the toxic ditch, of all the other things he and his cabinet are killing in the nation. Be it the EPA or others. Bye Bye american goodness.
6
@Charles E Owens Jr: " In it for her son?" What is the "it" you are referring to- Money? What type of mother (or parent- period) would subject their child to the cruelty, malice and sheer vulgarity of a parent like Donald Trump? Either you have no children or believe Money is the great equalizer of morality, goodness, rectitude, character, honesty and integrity. No sir; Melania is in "it" for herself; she signed a prenuptial agreement before there was Barron; she knew the "content of his character" the day she met him...
5
Melania married Trump for his money. Why else would a beautiful young woman marry such a...person. Let's not cry too many tears for the 3rd Mrs. Trump. I doubt that her heart is broken and now she must get a lawyer and strategize her ultimate cash out, which I can assure you she knew would come. While the meToo movement is undoubtedly the civil rights issue of our time, it has nothing to do with the Melanias of the world. Soon there will be a 4th Mrs. Trump, younger and "even better!" than this model.
16
If she were vengeful she would adopt her husbnd's Whopper, Big Mac, KFC bucket, chocolate cake diet. But maybe her prenup limits her to celery and distilled water.
Kidding aside, they're doing what they know how to do. Not for me. Maybe it works for them. But that. I couldn't care less.
4
As long as this insult to women and to our country, masquerading as Commander-In-Chief, remain at the helm in the People's House, this disgusting and vile viper will continue to attack and assault our principles and values that made America the country people desired. It is galling and amazingly unbelievable that Trump's so-called "Supporters" continue to turn a blind eye to what we once deemed as "criminal conduct against women". America needs help and protection against this monster and we need it like yesterday.
11
It's not about morality, it's not about "Me Too," it's not about Melania. It is about campaign finance laws. That is where he should be caught to be in violation.
7
Please--Melania was playing the same kind of games. She got into the US on an "extraordinary talent" visa (how did that happen?) and she portrayed herself as, if not acted as, the kind of siren that men betray their wives for, as anyone who has seen certain photos of her on the internet can confirm.
Beyond that, she defended him on television on the birther theory, etc., etc., etc.
The person I feel truly sorry for is Barron. He didn't ask for any of this.
23
The only hurt Trump in this charade of a presidency (lower case by choice) is the youngest Trump son.
The rest, we are not to be privy to, should not be privy to, to comment on.
3
Who would want to run for president and then get elected if the media goes after them with a vengeance. They knew about President Trump's past behavior and yet he was still elected. They have left no stone unturned in their reporting about Mr. Trump. They have written about his diet cokes, his fondness for McDonald's food, his weight, his hair, etc. They are still searching for his involvement in the Russian collusion which will probably contain nothing to implement him. Now they are writing about his involvement with Stormy Daniels. They will not let up on this story which occurred years ago. When this has been exhausted, they will start all over again.
The media does not bother to concentrate on President Trump's achievements which have benefitted many Americans. The people who supported him in the election are not paying too much attention to this latest news grabber. They are probably too exhausted from this over saturation of all things Donald Trump and not very flattering or fair minded. They have tuned the media out and off.
The people who are supporting Mr. Trump are pleased with his results and those who did not support him never will. He still has his base and they are pleased. Let's hope they continue to be happy with the commander in chief and reelect him when the time comes for them to cast their votes.
6
I shock myself to realize that Stormy Daniels is woman I most admire who has any connection to the Trump administration. She does what she does, she speaks up with honesty apparently, Her mind and words and judgment seem miles ahead of Betsy De Vos, Kellyanne Conway, Hope Hicks, Sarah Sanders, Melania and Ivanka. Maybe Nikki Haley is credible, but still delivers awful statements.
How did this happen in the midst of women's progress? And don't tell me that this has jump-started change in America. The rest of the Western world has not needed ineptitude and utter degradation to make progress on women's issues. That is like saying that school massacres increase gun-control issues. Apparently not.
12
Well said. I think we can all agree that what goes on behind their doors is between Melania and the poor choice she made. But of course, there’s two other issues that can’t help but come to mind of a normal, ethical, compassionate person. The first being the innocent son, Barron. My heart bleeds for him. The second one.. just causes anger... because far to many Americans voted this slimeball into office for the President of our country,
7
They absolutely deserve each other. They're both wretched excuses for human beings.
18
He married her because of her face and her body. She married him because he's really, really rich. So what else is new.
13
Donald Trump has proven time and time again, since the 1980's, he is a man of little to no morals or scruples. "We" elected him in spite of this, to be our President. How dumb and gullible are "we"?
Melania married him to have a sugar daddy. Hence the prenup.
This whole bunch of charlatans should ALL go away now, and we should get back to Making America Great. Like it was BEFORE Trump assumed his latest role of reality-star showman.
5
Among the many tawdry things Melania knows is that she could make history by filing for divorce. It may be true that donny could murder someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it, but I wonder if his teflon finish could survive being cast out by his trophy. It would be a patriotic move on her part, but I doubt she has it in her sorry little head.
13
I’m vaguely remembering those hordes of born again evangelicals from a few years past who so demonized Mrs. Clinton for tolerating such an unprincipled and immoral man. Why she must have been as unprincipled and immoral as he! The level of hypocrisy that has ouzed so from the “ moral majority” in this nation makes me sick! On sundays... i stay away from preachers and preaching... i get more depth of morality in the basement of my own home. Sad!
14
Another telling moment in that same Howard Stern appearance— or at least possibly instructive in relation to the possible affair with Stormy Daniels— came when Howard Stern asked DT if he would still have marital relations (not how Howard Stern phrased it) with Melania if she were disfigured in an automobile accident. DT asked if— hypothetically— Melania’s breasts were undamaged, and implied that that mattered most to him.
7
President as male role model for our children has already been flushed down the toilet. Let's hope that when he leaves (soon, please), he takes his outmoded Rat Pack and Evangelical bandwagon with him.
19
I Imagine Idyllic Justice: Indict, impeach, imprison, impoverish.
7
Of course she knew! The only person in that family of grifters that I feel sorry for is that 11 year old boy. All children are embarassed by their parents. I can't even image what that kid is going through having to deal with this despicable person as his father. Let's hope he turns out better than his brothers, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb.
28
you can hardly mention chatacter and President Trump in the same sentence, though, can you?
meanwhile, back at the ranch, the legal questions go on:
if Daniels was paid hush money for a written promise not to tell, what was that money for if nothing happened between her and Trump? it must have been for something. if it wasn't about what she says it was as Trump states, why was she paid at all?
is Daniels a blackmailer or a wronged woman?
Cohen, Trump's lawyer, paid the money, he says from his own funds. why did he do that? was he reimbursed or expecting to be reimbursed? by whom?
if Cohen paid money to Daniels to keep her quiet about sex with Trump, is Cohen a pimp or just a sleazy lawyer? what does the bar think about this kind of legal work?
what size does Daniels wear? I want to get her a blue dress. that shoud bring on impeachment.
6
I respect her quiet on this. Unlike a first lady, who knew exactly who her husband was, she is not denying reports, blaming and shaming the other women nor blaming it all on a vast left wing concpiracy.
12
@Somebody: I guess you don't remember when she blamed the "Access Hollywood" talk we got to all hear on Billy Bush "egging him on"and called it "boy talk". She makes plenty of excuses for that slime ball and his supporters love him no matter what he does, no matter how vile.
4
The biggest disappointment about the Donald-Melania saga is the First Lady's inability or unwillingness to utilize her global platform to create positive change. A wasted opportunity and now we must wait for the next First Lady to embrace the role and all its possibilities. As for the Trump marriage, it's "The Art of the Deal" perfected.
6
Actually, it's The Art of the Steal. He's robbing the system (we the taxpayers) daily. As to the actual book, look up Tony Schwartz's comments in print or on YouTube. He was the ghost writer and saw the real deal.
5
One has to wonder what the White House would be like without Melania. She gives cover for a lot of behavior that would become more and more evident if she were to leave. Trump must pay a very high price for her services.
If she were to leave, Trump's insatiable desire to have a woman faun over him would dominate the tabloids. Who and when was another Stormy invited to the White House for the Night? Where did Donald go for one or another evening? What are the haps at Mar a Lago? Who won the lady lottery on each visit?
I suspect Melania earns her keep. Maybe that's why she and Barron appear to be chronically sad, or angry or both. It is an insult to women and the country that this goes on.
13
I firmly believe that Melania is actually an intelligence agent for a foreign government (Russia perhaps) and is Trump's 'handler'. It would make a lot of sense out of a lot of nonsense.
15
It's a good thought Observer except that, when I've heard her interviewed, she appears to be genuinely shallow and stupid. It's no act. It's like when I tell beagle Jim to stop acting like a fool. "It's no act," he says.
3
Evangelicals LOVE Trump. God only knows why.
8
Yes, this behaviour matters. The other leaders who cheated ran the country with or without their pants on. The point here is that when he and his mess was all over Page 6 he wasn't the president of the US and his poor judgments in his prior business and personal affairs had no bearing on his ability to run an Empire that is ours to lose.
6
There is a large number of Americans – both men and women -- for whom Donald Trump’s abuse of women and crude behavior towards women simply doesn’t matter. That group is comprised largely of Trump’s wildly cheering core group of supporters.
It also includes evangelical Christians, who normally wear their religion on their shirtsleeves, claim moral superiority over the rest of us and attempt to tell us at every opportunity how we should live our lives.
Beyond Donald Trump’s using his position to increase his personal wealth and that of his family, he has managed to wangle a moral exemption for outrageous personal behavior from loud-mouthed preachers and politicians.
They argue that the worst sin imaginable is using a personal email server.
20
Sordid yes. Abusing toward women-no. They all knew what they were getting and signed up for it willingly. They are both cashing their checks
4
if the president won't release his tax returns, are we allowed to know:
besides numerous returns filed on behalf of businesses of which he is a part, doesn't he also file a personal return covering his pass through income, investment income, royalties, 1099 payments for services, interest and investment income, foreign income, income from family trusts, social security income, rents, whatever tips he earns, etc.?
does he file singly as an individual or jointly with Mrs. Trump?
if jointly,how much does Mrs. Trump charge him to sign the returns? how much not to release her personal copies?
does she get such payments on the QT from Cohen, from money in offshore accounts and paid imto offshore accounts, or directly from the Kremlin?
if discovered, would these payments count as taxable income, campaign contributions, or foreign income?
7
Two weeks before an election Ms. Clifford took a payment of $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged affair. Isn't that considered blackmail? She stole another woman's husband and then blackmailed him when it was convenient. My sympathy goes out to Melania and what she knew doesn't matter.
5
She knew, and allegorically we all knew.
I can only hope we have enough enough principles to do the right thing in the next election. Trump's private live is not what is causing us the most harm, but its at least one thing where his depravity is easy to understand.
Mark
6
I don't think it's just the money that is the reason Melania stays. Donald likely has dirt on her that she doesn't want exposed. She didn't want to be first lady in the first place. She knew it would lead to too much scrutiny into the family's dirty laundry and the type of relationship she has with Donald.
3
It is a dire symptom of the decline of our public discourse that an amoral pig like Trump was elected. I could overlook his louche behavior if he might also make a decent President like JFK, who was no piker in the philandering department. But he is simply a diseased lout around whom the planets aligned in 2016. But our democracy is threatened not merely by the damage can and is doing but that he is respected as the President by a significant number of Americans.
7
It's nice that in the photo illustrating this column, Melania is holding Donald's very small hand.
Great story. Anything to take away headlines from the big ego. Tho, he man like any news that relates to him, other than the type of sarcasm he gets on SNL.
1
What is probably one of the best things that a spouse (wife) could hope for? That her husband would become the president of the United States. What is the worst thing that a spouse could hope for? To be a hustler and be married to a sexual predator / adulterer who becomes president of the United States.
3
Love it!
MAGA!
2
She's was and is a grown up. She can leave. She chooses not to. End of story. Ya reap what ya sow. As far as trump, what he deserves is to spend his golden (orange) years with a chronic case of the CLAP.
9
Trump is a clear symptom that we are two countries, much like we were before the Civil War. With 90% of Republicans supporting Trump no matter what he does, it's clear that power is all that matters. The unbelievable hypocrisy of supporting someone scandal-ridden like Trump, while attacking someone scandal-free like Obama, is sickening.
Deplorable is too kind a word for our Republicans.
11
Honestly Mr. Blow, I wish you had'nt written this op-ed. This salacious, sordid story has been on the tabloids forever. Every tawdry occurrence has been detailed many times over. Barron, Trump's youngest son would have been a breath of fresh air.
4
True;.But spoke did First Lady Clinton, and she also attacked and denigrated other women for her own ego or future plans. #Fed Up!
4
Roxanne.. we aren’t talking about Mrs. Clinton anymore.. are we? Why I’m certain there were some good nazis, somewhere during those barbaric times.. don’t you?
4
I agree and that is why I have never been a fan of Hillary. Why stand by a man who has no more control of himself than an alley cat? zero respect for Hillary and for Donald.
4
Trump is the president and HE is under the microscope now. Isn't it fun? Weeeeeeeeee.
Deal with it. TRUMP is the PRESIDENT. CLINTON is NOT. Move on.
1
I feel bad for Melania because she thought she was getting freedom and a bottomless checkbook. Now all this scrutiny! And I’m sure DT is in a much worse mood than when he was just trying to fend off another bankruptcy.
When I think of Laura Bush promoting childhood literacy and libraries, or Michelle O, bringing attention to childhood obesity and healthy eating, or, going back, Eleanor Roosevelt’s advocacy for the poor, and for women, well, then I feel sad for America.
21
It appears our president has a sex addiction along with other diagnosable infirmities. He seems like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to women--he's got to have them all. And hasn't he been raised to regard women as bright shiny objects to which his "greatness" entitles him? In the era of #MeToo and #Times Up it is ironic, shocking and even horrifying that our president is the very paragon of the kind of abusive man we women are finally speaking out about and rising up against. That said, I ask myself: What does Clifford want? Is it fame/notoriety? As a professional exhibitionist, is this just business as usual? There's perhaps more to the story. I wonder about something I read regarding "paternity"? Good lord!
4
Just curious. Has anyone seen or read " Red Sparrow"?
3
The headline is surely and deliberately misleading. It is also, when you read the article, nothing more than a wild guess.
2
No, it's not a wild guess. Middle aged men don't change their spots. Go back and read the part about him asking out Melania while he was on a date with another woman, which he was doing before he finished divorcing his second wife, with whom he carried on an affair while he was married to his first wife. Reading is fundamental.
5
"In this case, Melania knew exactly the kind of man she was getting."
That's exactly correct. Melania knew exactly what she was signing up for. Hers is less a marriage than a transaction.
For Melania I have no sympathy. She signed the contract.
15
I have no sympathy for her either. I do, however, question the wisdom of church leaders who backed this man. I do question why we, as a country, are expected to respect this man. I may respect the office but the man has no self-control.
7
They deserve each other - the gold digger and the narcissistic sociopath. Neither can claim any moral high ground, nor should they ever be accorded any by the hypocritical Christian conservatives who have no morals but preach "family values". Thank goodness I am not part of their "family". Let's see whether Mike Pence has anything to say. I seriously doubt it; he's one of them.
Trump, the serial philanderer, liar and crook proffers "moral" criticism of everyone while he takes no ownership of his moral void. He thinks he is above both the law and ethics. Bill Clinton was an amateur compared to Trump, and he was impeached. What can we do to Trump that is proportional? Guantanamo?
21
I am so disgusted with this beyond disgusting oaf. My reaction is the same as that of the Women's March in January 2017: Grab him by the tax returns (and you know what else).
10
How did Melania get into the country on a extraordinary ability visa? Where is the ability that is extraordinary? Her parents here on chained migration?
16
My most pressing question is how much Stormy paid for those grotesque prostheses - by the gallon, I mean.
1
Almost half of all marriages end in divorce. Actually a large percentage of couples don't even get married and have several partners.
Mr Trump has been behaving since he was elected, unlike president Clinton he didn't cheapen his office.
2
You must be kidding. Cheapen it? He has used the office as a bargaining tool and to amass even more wealth for himself and his family. He has turned the office of POTUS into an infomercial
5
You are so wrong, when you say "America, this is not about partisanship; this is about principle. Each of us must proclaim that this situation is over the line, that women matter, that their voices and their stories matter, that propriety, honor and character matter."
Wrong. Just ask evangelical Christians whose support and love for Trump are undiminished, even while they continue to revile the honorable, faithful Black couple who preceded Donald & Melania.
8
Melania was an aging model when they met, moderately successful. A new career was needed. She found an aging playboy with a horrid diet. Let's not feel sorry for her, a few photo ops and she lives a life most can barely dream of. She never does housework or travels coach. Sure, he's the worst of the man-child lot but her luxury lifestyle and probably separate bedrooms are a trade-off many would make. She certainly has grounds for a lucrative settlement if she chooses.
Plenty of rich and famous men behave well. He's an aberration, a salesman who can read his marks. He has no shame and that's the real secret to his success. A third of the country thinks that's a good thing. That's our failure, not his.
14
Trump's personal behavior doesn't bother me.
Trump's damage to the country and world is terrifying, a crime, and a tragedy.
And then there are the evangelicals.
17
To all these comments excusing Melania: she is complicit in this whole debacle of an administration and she rightly deserves having her hypocrisy called out in the most public way possible. Fact: She is a birther, and on national TV questioned Obamas citizenship. Fact: On national TV she repudiated the women who accused Trump of sexual assault, even in the face of his own admission on tape. Fact: She maintains an "anti-bullying" platform when her spouse is the worst example of this type of ugliness. Fact: She is a beneficiary of the broken visa process and chain migration, which her husband is using at this moment as a vicious nativist drumbeat to stoke fear of and deport brown immigrants to the extent that small children are being taken from their parents. All the points in this op-ed are factual and do not move an inch into the vile character assassination that Michelle Obama faced every single day. I have zero sympathy for Melania and any Trump enablers.
27
This is not just a men's problem. Women play a role too. Men were not the only ones who voted for this vile man. And here is a sad truth for every 9 women who won't there is always that one who will. Men have to do better, much better, but women what is their excuse?
7
when will gag orders be nullified for presidential candidates? How much information from Trump's dalliances and stiffed contractors, not to mention close observers over decades might have flooded the papers if a presidential candidate's gag orders were legally and automatically nullified upon formal registration of candidacy?
And why shouldn't we know? The very concealment of Trump's real estate plans with Russians, business relationships, and (least important) personal affairs has allowed this "man"--the exploiter of all loopholes in life--to hoodwink enough Americans to put himself in the Oval Office and reap the profits.
We need a law that says no matter how much you paid someone to not tell the truth about you, sacrificing that rich-man's luxury pay-off is the least you must do if you plan to run for president of the American People, and nullifies every contract. We must be free to learn all without the soap opera of hourly updates on the ins and outs of this criminal's legal battles.
7
It's interesting to see how many comments make derogatory remarks about Melania's ethnic origins. I wish I were surprised, but I suspect no one is.
One way to resist Trump is to refuse to give in to the temptation to say bigoted things, about anyone. I wonder whether most people grasp how low public discourse has fallen, and how dangerous that has become. We "normalize" the abnormal.
Resist Trump by taking care not emulate him in the slightest.
6
They mention it because it's rather hypocritical for this buffoon to be slamming, shaming, and hating other immigrants while propping up his imported wax works, Stepford wife.
4
I look at Melania's role as essentially a job. She marries Trump and she doesn't need to worry about making a living for herself. Baron is her insurance to make sure that the deal is done. I feel sorry for her, anyone really in her situation, but marrying rich people has always been a way out for many people throughout history.
But when I see a panel of evangelical women give Trump a "mulligan" for his behavior as long as he enacts their conservative agenda, the hypocrisy of that sets off alarm bells.
Undoubtedly, Melania will outlive Trump. And when that happens she will be free to have a comfortable and normal life of her making. What does Trump have left in the tank - 15 years, 10 years, 5 years, tomorrow? For the sake of us all the soon this man departs this mortal coil the better off not only Melania, but our republic as well, will be.
11
Great article. Too bad that it should be on Fox, the WSJ or outlets that women who support Mr Trump go to, not the NYT, which those women universally despise.
4
Women are just as gullible as men. How in God's name could this degenerate, ignorant, unprincipled man ever have been elected this President? For their part, the Republicans are just as repulsive. Family values, Evangelicals?? What hypocrisy. !! Many women do indeed read the NYT Times..
5
Of course she knew but what does she care. Without donnie, she barely rises to the level of Stormy. Something about follow the money.
8
Melania knows how to play her man. She doesn't need sympathy, she is in control and knows the boundaries. When he crosses the line we know exactly what he does. Pays up for silence.
5
Hillary knew. Where was Blow then?
8
We ALL knew, but not enough of us took any action. Along with the Dotard's base, all decent people that either did not vote or had a temporary lapse of sanity should feel responsible for this national disgrace.
1
Not sure if you noticed, but Hillary isn't President, CHUMP is. Unfortunately.
4
And he paid for it. Remember the impeachment?
1
Melania landed a rich fish, but the Fickle Finger of Fate made her FLOTUS. She didn’t sign up for that. She is not naive; she knew exactly the type of man/boy Trump is. She seems empty to me, but I can’t say I have much sympathy for her. Most women would run in the opposite direction if approached by Trump, or any man of his ilk. Trump degrades all he touches. It’s too bad she sold her soul for tacky gold decor. If he hadn’t been elected President, would they be divorced by now? I really don’t care, but Melania (and Ivanka) are not among the women I admire.
46
Remember Gary Hart? That was back in the day, when womanizing, infidelity and rampant lies were a problem for American voters.
28
JFK?
1
Did Melania make the mistake of her life not taking the Montreal Cognitive Assessment?
It probably would have warned her she'd be crazy to marry up with him.
7
... by not taking ..,.
1
Of course, Melania new was she was getting - and being paid to accept. So did Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and every other craven and mendacious Republican on Capitol Hill. The ONE thing Melania did NOT do; the thing that every Republican politician has done, is to sell out her country for 30 pieces of silver.
18
Lest we forget Melania's legal minions Wasted little time suing for alleged loss of potential "brand" value aka ability to cash in on being FLOTUS when she was allegedly disparaged in the "fake media".
Boo hoo, like the other poster mentioned "lie down with dogs, expect fleas."
Of course likening the trumps (and their cronies) to dogs is an insult to the canine community. "Just sayin folks"
VOTE The OUT
21
Charles Blow seems to have a filter for his critics, so here it is again: When Trump was separated from his wife Marla, he and a friend attended a dinner where he met Melania in 1996. He asked for her telephone number, but she insisted that he give her his number instead. She was looking for work, as a model or designer, and she had acquired a green card to work here. She was applying for citizenship at the time as well. And she dialed Trump.
“Melania refused to give him her phone number, but Trump was persistent and left his. Days later, she dialed it.”Meet Melania Trump, a new model for First Lady,” Mary Jordan, September 30, 2015, Washington Post
7
I hope Melania went back to see if the prenuptial agreement was signed by Donald.
25
This is the part that bothers me most "Indeed, Trump has made a habit of defending such men, using the forcefulness of their denials as proof of innocence."
Oh you really really say you didn't do it? Ok then, all settled. Please, just stop.
3
No tears for Melania, but oceans of tears for America. Melania knew, the voters didn’t.
16
Actually, they did. But it didn't matter to them.
7
I would not be at all surprised if Donald has told Melania that if she leaves him or outs him in any way that she would not be allowed custody of Barron. I wonder if some day she will slip the tax returns to the Times anonymously.....
15
Yes. Has any United States President ever divorced on office? Melania can't get out, no matter how bad it is. She might have known something about Trump, but I doubt she knew how bad he is. It would be hard for anyone. He's capable of surpassing any previous records of bad.
I do feel for Melania. I feel sorry for Ivana Trump, too, and she's less likable, I think. I don't like either woman, but it's clear that being married to a millionaire psychopath can't exaclty be a picnic. I even feel for Trump's children. And they're pretty horrible. But something made them that way. Come to think of it, something made Trump that way -- nooo, I refuse to feel for this man. You have to draw a line at something.
74
Sociopathy is 75% heritable.
Mr. Blow seems to get only part of Trump's worldview as an apex predator. It is not only women that he objectified and demeans; he has the habit of bullying his staff and his workers. He belittles his political opponents and media critics. Trump is inclusive to a fault in his disdain for most of humanity.
13
@ Robin Cunningham New York
It is the disdain he feels about himself, which he projects onto the rest of the world.
1
I am SO looking forward to the Ken Burns documentary on DJT.
Please, Ken!
9
I want to see Michael Moore’s documentary on Trump et al!
Just because she had a baby doesn't make her Mother Teresa. She's has displayed some pretty tacky behaviors, in my opinion. The naked interview with Howard Stern? Yuck.
12
Oh Charles, you and I will never understand why people voted for drumpf, why women still attend his rallies (campaign rallies now? really?) and cheer him on. We will just never understand it. The voters had this info before the election -- they heard his ugly-adolescent bragging on the bus -- they just don't seem to care! If women mattered to them, the republican party would not be trying to restrict women's access to health care and contraception, they would not be supporting creationism and paternalistic dogma over science in the schools and in government, they wouldn't -- oh really, what's the point? We will just never understand why enough people in this country decided to elect a third-rate reality t.v. bombast as leader of the free world. Stop beating your head against the wall, you're going hurt yourself.
10
Women who marry men with reputations as philanderers hope they can change them into devoted husbands. When husbands become philanderers, wives often go into denial until indisputable evidence—like a semen-stained blue dress—proves them wrong. Some women react to infidelity by filing for divorce, while others-including some first ladies-- stubbornly refuse to break the bounds of marriage for a variety of reasons—for the sake of the children, to nurture their own political ambitions, etc.
3
I have no sympathy for Melania. She who posed nude in 2004 for a British tabloid. This was while she was dating DT. She is and has never been classy, and is closer to Stormy Daniels than we might suspect. Try Googling Stormy Daniels, and don't do it with anyone under the age of 25 around, the pictures are eye popping. Message to Melania, I'd get tested if I were you!
15
Articles like this are so depressing. They're a grim reminder of just how far down this degenerate has dragged us. I really miss Obama!
19
Well geez. How observant. Of course she knew, as she was most definitely trained to know. There are literally dozens of ex KGB trainers and handlers that have been saying for years that she fits a "sleeper" profile. Why else would she be putting up with this weirdo?
9
Ya think? But even if she did, it still would not be her fault, but his, for rejecting security or alternatively colluding with a foreign agent.
2
How is this any of your business? Trump must be a clarifying moment for people who claimed to be nothing but loving but are full of nothing but hatred. Your pieties look pretty empty.
11
This article should have not been published. Melania's marriage is non of our business. On the other side I am surprised. NYTimes, on average, is 50% insinuations and speculations. Including the parts that are not Op-Ed.
11
"not about partisanship, this is about principle", Charlie? How much were you outraged by Hill's destruction of women abused by Bill?
7
Destruction? Hardly. Dismissive, maybe
1
Of course Melania knew. However what's most disturbing is how evangelicals completely disregard and excuse Trump's immoral behavior. The good thing about this is that we know know who they really are, so next time they start screaming about someone else's sexual escapades we can call them out for being the hypocrites they are. Their constant and pitiful comparisons to Bill Clinton are just another desperate attempt to change the narrative. Trumps public history of lasciviousness is problematical for an American president. But more important is his treasonous conspiracy with Russia.
17
America has become the laughing stock of the world. How can we profess to be the leader of the world in any way any more? Throughout my lifetime I have endured the jerks like Donnie - not letting them get close, but observing and yes, enduring their attempted filthy clutches. Now that the years go by I celebrate every time I see one of them in the obits - morbid perhaps, but it should have happened earlier. We must socialize our youth to be so much more respectful of each other. Sex has become a recreational sport and that is so wrong. However, there may be hope. I see that the statistics show a shift so that's good. All I want is for our congress to get rid of him - but they probably have so much personal garbage of the same quality that they don't want to rock the boat out of fear they may turn the spotlight on themselves. I for one am sad that our young people are watching and we aren't fixing this disgusting situation. Churches still support Trump - REALLY????
9
who are these people we hear about? That abuse, assault, and change the male/female dance into something where someone gets hurt, offended and possibly, jaded forever...Please do not loose hope ..there are men with vision, honor, and an understanding that attraction will find itself between two people...
not by force, or stupid behavior, but it will just come around...this bowling alley king needs to be sent home tarred and feathered..we hope mueller gets the job done sooner than later, we have all heard and seen enough!
3
I'm with you, James. There are countless worthy men in the world who love, serve and respect women. They should not be forgotten. And there are also women like Melania and "Stormy" who have no moral scruples and use their sexuality to profit from wealthy men. Also, too many "innocents" like Monica Lewinsky, who try to seduce and then blame the man, adults who are fully capable of saying "no" and not engaging in immoral behavior.
The underlying economic power imbalances between men and women in the world lead to these unfortunate dynamics, but women are complicit. I'm tired of this narrative - men as predators and women as victims. We women need to choose good men (and there are lots of them), raise good sons, behave responsibly - and demand equal pay.
1
Thanks for reminding us of that.It is so wrong and depressing when men like Trump get leadership positions.
Mueller , godspeed!
1
Many women believe they will change the man. It’s classic
10
Just remember the Matt Dillon ("Gunsmoke") Rule: "You can't never tell how it is between a man and his woman".
6
The greatest hypocrites of all are the so-called religious fundamentalists who support Trump - the epitome of immorality, but now poster boy for the Republican Party.
13
The epitome of immorality and hypocrisy=Newt Gingrich and his devout Catholic wife. AKA ambassador to the Vatican
2
Trump has likely bought off a number of people to cover-up behavior he believes he must hide from the public. He should not have a security clearance, even if he never read any intelligence. Not only is Trump above the law in many, many ways, he can be blackmailed— if he isn’t being blackmailed already. Americans should be afraid of this. It is not far fetched. Republicans disgust me.
12
She knew. We all knew. Some of us were horrified long before this man ran for office. The people who continue to support him also knew and still know, even as they shout, "Fake news!" The truth is that those people do not care what happens to our society and to the workers, women, children, they will watch as men abuse women, men abuse men, children are gunned down, children are being mis-educated, their parents don't have the money for life-saving drugs for them, as the poor sink further into despair. They will soon watch as anyone "different" is sent into institutions, in a false move to "prevent violence." They will watch unmoved as the environment is trashed and "lesser" species are killed off. As long as they get what they want, they will never care what happens to the rest of the world. So - are we going to live with it, or . . . say, aren't we embarrassed that children are marching and videoing and protesting as we ought to be doing?
10
Anybody who would talk about his daughter in such terms is definitely a sick puppy. But, being weird isn't the worst of it. It is the fact that a lot of the country thinks such a sick mind and such deplorable behavior is OK.
11
As far as I am concerned Donald Trump is a despicable human being and not suited, either by temperament or decency to be President. As far as we know all these transgressions occurred before he was elected. Bill Clinton had oral sex in the OVAL OFFICE with a staff member. Yet the refrain I heard from many of my Democratic friends was "well who cares the economy is in great shape". Well yeah it does matter.
Both parties excuse vile, reprehensible conduct in pursuit of their electoral goals. They both have sold their souls. The problem is those sales come with a no refund policy.
4
Birds of a feather. When you marry for money, you earn every penny of it.
15
I would gladly forgive (and forget) all Trump's sex escapades if he would just disclose his Tax Returns.
9
I don't see the point of this article, as if the author had to rub it in the First Lady's face even more than is already happening with these latest revelations of Trump's personal indiscretions.
I'd prefer NYT columnists focus on the equally outrageous turning-the-other-way of Congress. 16 years of Republican outrage at the last two Democratic presidents (plus Hillary) a lot of it over stuff that wasn't true, and the only sound coming from the Capitol Building now is ... crickets.
12
The Third Lady is a business deal, period. She is a commodity. She was purchased like one would purchase a new sports car or designer sunglasses. She was purchased to assuage the ego of an old male egomaniac. She would have done much better staying in New York, and so would we all.
Yet sadly, she seems like the only one in the present administration who even tries to do her "job", of parading around in designer clothing and promoting safe, touchy-feely issues.
7
Saying mean things about this woman ressembles Trump's own despicable style too much for my taste.
I cannot believe how much Trump has spoiled the tone, everywhere, and about everything. I don't want to believe it.
10
I don’t think the comments are mean at all, but rather the truth....they are both sad
3
It's what this all says about men that's most worthy of thinking about.
Anyone -- man or women -- so desperately grasping and always-on-the-make is also desperately needy.
So needy, in fact, nothing but "me me me" can be the reason why he or she does what he or she does.
And I do mean nothing.
The degree of shallowness and spiritual void-ness suggested by all this is pathetic.
But, I don't think it's something all that unusual, frankly, in men. I speak as a man. Somebody said "Either you talk it out. or you act it out." All too often, our so-called masculinity promotes acting it out by prohibiting talking it out. Trump is just a fairly extreme instance.
3
DAVID/SAN FRANCISCO - Well said, good points, succinct, thank you. Perhaps dt's banishment to military boarding school as a young teen led to abandonment issues. That may be where his "Me...Me!...(and more) ME!!" stems from. Still, he craves to be "seen" (eye candy on his arm, sky candy on his construction) and "heard" at any price. But - as he was taught - he's still wriggling out of paying his tab.
1
We all know what kind of vile man trump is. From Melania to his daughter infatuation, trump is a genuinely creepy old man. Now, accusations of harassment and molestation by trump have been made by numerous women. Trouble is, no criminal charges have been filed, nor has any of the accusing women brought suit against trump. Ever. And until someone does bring trump into court, all the accusations will remain only that, and trump will remain the unperturbed president.
6
I disagree that this isn't about partisanship. It absolutely is. One is free to make one's own judgment call about whether or not Bill Clinton's sexual scandals were more or less offensive than Trump's. But the overarching issue is essentially the same: men abusing and/or harassing women sexually. But in Bill Clinton's case, this was a fatal error for which impeachment was warranted, and George W. Bush won an election while campaigning in part on cleaning up Washington's lack of morality. Now, Trump's dalliances are considered conspiracies invented by the evil left in order to take down the savior of the right, the whites or the country. Sounds partisan to me.
9
I wish the press and media were as gracious and respectful to this First Lady as they were to the First Lady in the Clinton administration.
10
One hopes that even in our materialistic, capitalistic, profit-motivated society morality still counts. So far it doesn't seem so in Trump's case. The results of the upcoming special and midterm elections will be significant indicators that mindsets are being affected by the moral or immoral core of voters.
3
OK, Melania knew so you give her a pass. But so did 63 million American voters know Trump and they forcefully voted that this behavior makes no difference to them. In fact, if we want to get serious about the nature of American culture, the majority of its citizens are on the same page as Trump. There is a reason that compared to the European social democracies we seem barbaric and unsophisticated. It is because we are. The majority of Americans care little for education and vote for people who will dismantle it for all but the rich. This is the only country that admires the thievery of the rich and despises the poverty of the teacher and social worker. This is the only country where voters will gladly destroy their own healthcare if they think that it will take healthcare away from a minority that they hate. The continent wide dispersion of racial bigotry and misogyny extends through all classes and races and makes this country truly exceptional when compared with the rest of the world. And as violent and gun loving a place as the USA is it is also a population that hates military service and will avoid it at all costs. The military is almost entirely made up of economic refugees from an economy with high unemployment by design and few working safety nets, a military that is over represented by immigrants who are denied citizenship when they leave the military. All Trump has done is hold up a mirror to America. When we see Trump what we really see is ourselves.
11
Now we see, in full view, the reason for Melania's alleged "tears not of joy" on election night: she foresaw the painful transition from her fortress of gold, Trump Tower, to the world stage, as First Lady, wherein she would have zero protection from the spotlight of Trump's adulterous past.
Of course she knew. What she did not know, or foresee, was that the sheltered, protected life she signed up for would come to an end.
5
I'm sure millions of women have married men with similar histories who vowed that THIS time it would be different because LOVE. And none of them deserved the bad treatment they got from those men either.
And as always, the bad behavior is HIS fault, not hers. Stop the victim blaming. It's not about her, it's about him. Whether she knew or not is so far beside the point I have no idea what the purpose of this rant is.
9
It did seem, during the Obama years, that things were getting better in so many ways, and then the Trump disaster blew up that optimistic confidence. Maybe it was a demonstration of the difficulty of guiding a free democracy, where an unstable and ignorant man can win the leadership over a highly qualified woman who collects more votes. The Republicans' hostility and slanders toward Hillary Clinton through the past 30-plus years have warped her public persona, but she still managed to beat Trump in the popular vote (which he still can't seem to accept). If a female candidate were revealed to be guilty of even one of the ethical/personal/political actions that Trump seems to specialize in, she'd be drummed out of office, with the "evangelical" hypocrites leading the band. I wonder if Oprah really is the only woman who might be able to overwhelm The Donald's macho appeal to the masses who prefer manipulated reality shows to actual reality.
19
You are correct sir, the female mayor of Nashville was forced out of office last week after admitting to an affair with her police bodyguard.
4
It is very dificult to understand how this guy got to be president of the USA, but all my life I have always heard that in the USA anything is possible, I just never thought that to be true.
22
Not a fan of Melania at all, but I'm not sure going after her makes sense. My guess is that Trump has told her that if she ever tries to leave that he'll make sure she never sees Barron again. Maybe she initially married for money, but now she's trapped with him. And there's not enough money in the world to make up for that. If I were her, I'd work with Mueller to make sure Trump goes away for a very long time.
24
She either knew or she unconsciously turned a blind eye and didn't fully process it. Humans are rarely logical beings. She very well could have been overwhelmed by meeting a wealthy famous man and may not have taken the time to fully assess, or was swept up in the lifestyle, or she lied to herself thinking she could change him. Women who are abused lie to themselves about it, or blame themselves, or make excuses like boys will be boys, or all men are the same, or think, "It is not abuse because why would a smart woman like me be in an abusive relationship?" She also could have been primed as a child to find a wealthy man and that was a driving motivation as a sign of success in her family culture. Psychologically, there are many reasons why we do the crazy things we do and rarely do they make sense. Also, our decisions are often the cause of our own pain. Mullah Nasrudin, a Sufi wise man from the 13th century said, "Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement."
13
No wonder she never smiles.
19
You know , I kinda respect her for that. It's hard not to smile in America. Not because you're so happy -- because everyone is always telling you to smile. I can imagine it would be even harder when you're the first lady.
1
True.
The real value of this is not Trump's philandering nor Melania's seeming ability to ignore it. Rather the only value in this entire episode is the potential fact that Trump used his campaign personnel to cover it up. The attempt to get around the rules of the FEC by having his lawyer make the payment, if true, would be enough to start a criminal investigation. The only question then would be whether Trump would pardon Mr. Cohen, or even himself for a criminal violation of election law. Melania made her choice. America didn't truly choose Trump (by a margin of 3 million votes), she did.
8
Melania knew. America knew. And that is why I will never feel the same toward the men I know who voted for Trump.
31
Don’t the despicable women who voted for him. Or do they get a pass?
1
53 percent of white women voted for Trump. This was in spite of all that was known before the election about his treatment of women. I have yet to find a credible explanation for this.
19
There is no explanation for it because it isn't true. Even if exit polls weren't extremely unreliable, the simple fact remains. About half of the electorate actually voted in the last election. Even if half of the white women who voted did so for Trump, this is only equal to about a quarter of the "white women" in the United States. Do the math.
4
53 percent of Republican white women.
3
53% of white women who voted. Those who didn’t vote (men and women) are, perhaps, even more at fault
Melania is getting what she signed up for. No sympathy from me.
And the fact that the "MeToo" and "Time's Up" movements are happening now, while Trump doubles down on misogyny daily is NO coincidence. Those movements are a direct result and response to the fact that we have a woman-user, a sexual assaulter, and abuser in the white house. In 2018. This is our way of saying NEVER AGAIN. Even Steve Bannon warned Trump about this, and he'd better understand that as long as he is in office, this is not going away. It will not be swept under the rug.
Underestimating the current level of female anger and activism right now, or trying to explain away bad behavior? That's is a huge miscalculation. And Trump will walk right into it.
15
And it's not a co-incidence, either , that it was a woman they defrauded out of presidency. And that that happened because Vlad Putin was afraid of a woman. Many of his worst critics and opponenets have been womwn, incidentally, starting with Anna Politkovskaya.
An the fact that we are now in a sorry state where old-fashioned seventy- year-old machoes of the worst kind are leading the world's greatest countries, China, Russia, USA and couple of petty tyrants too, near Europe: Syria and Turkey, and waging wars, is not a co incidence, either. This is the only thing they can do : wage wars, kill people and stifle development. Macho men are like that, don't vote for them. They won't make you happy, they won't make you rich. Even if they'll tell you they will. Don't fall for that.
2
To be blunt, the very last thing I want to read about, especially in the NYT, is an article or Op-Ed piece about this entire assorted affair stuff. With so many other critical, vital, and important issues to write about, I am disappointed that this story was front page news and worse, will not fade to black any time soon. I am equally disappointed that Charles Blow jumped on the band wagon and wrote such a gossipy kind of piece. Gosh, it seems as if everyone is gearing their stories for the ratings rather than issues that have true merit and importance to the reader and the country. How does Melania's knowing or not knowing about this affair truly benefit anyone or this country?
10
The ugh, President, Covering up his affair with a prostitution is not newsworthy? When the payoff money came from dubious sources and was hidden by his attorney? Ok then.
2
Disappointed as you may be you clicked,read and commented at length.Ka-Ching for Charles Blow.
1
Bashh from Philadelphia, PA - you got me there.
She's a model. Her career is about exposure. She's not "off-limits". On her "art": I personally find her rectangular squinty plastic eyes very disturbing and I hope those don't become a standard of female beauty. I also thought her white Christmas decorations were lovely. On her marriage: again, I hope it doesn't legitimize that kind of behavior. But I'm afraid it does.
10
I honestly don't care about Melania Trump. She would have to have been almost brain-dead to not know what DT was like before she married him. I am more concerned about the damage her husband and stepchildren are doing to our democracy.
41
She said in an interview she’s like the rock of the family. Seems an apt self-assessment to me.
1
It is a time honored truth, when one cheats on a spouse repeatedly, marries one of the persons with whom they cheat, this spouse should be prepared to suffer the same fate. He cheated with Melania ergo he will cheat on her. Why would anyone be shocked by this behavior? Perhaps Melania is not surprised, she must have known what she was getting from past publicity involving him.
What I do find strange is the ability of Mike Pence and company to overlook the President's disgusting behavior and attitude toward honesty, fidelity and marriage, he epitomizes the way in which an evangelical Christian should not behave.
20
When asked if she felt luck to marry Donald Trump she responded that Trump was lucky. It’s not would I hope for my daughter but it’s her choice and only a man would write an article like this
5
The marriage of Melania and Donald is simply a business deal; and that's their business.
What does amaze me are all the hypocritical, "good Christian", Trump supporters, that don't seem bothered in the least by Trump's behavior in all matters, both personal and as President of the United States. He is literally tearing down our Country for the personal benefits of his friends and family; and for himself.
In almost any other Country there would have been a coup by now and Trump would be behind bars or in the ground.
11
She also married him to get other family members brought in. Trump used the "chain immigration" he now claims to abhor to do that.
22
Trump is the manifestation of the degradation of a large segment of our society.
His values and behavior is quite acceptable to that segment.
How did we get there? What is the remedy?
How do we come out of this cesspool?
8
Accordingly to ancient cosmology kaliyuga (the horrible ages we are in existence today) is fast approaching its end...paving the way for a golden truthful era of peace good health dignity harmony. Be patient this too shall pass. Be good do good and all will be well. (Ancient sages tell us about the cyclical nature of good and awful time periods in human history)
It’s very telling to see what holier than thou evangelicals will do to get of abortion. I don’t know how conservatives will ever be able to criticize liberals for having relative values.
15
This reminds me of that parody of the big business world, The Sopranos. At first, watching that show, I felt sorry for Tony Soprano's wife, Carmella, and the other mobster wives. Gradually I realized that sympathy was misplaced. Carmella was morally just like her husband and in fact found his thuggishness exciting.
Everybody: stop speculating about it; Melania is not a story until she does something to make herself a story.
11
Can anyone name one instance since Mrs.Trump became First Lady when she looked happier, more engaged, or chattier than the time she was caught on film talking to Putin face to face without translator at her first overseas state dinner? It would't surprise me if we learn that she was assigned to marry Trump by Vlad.
20
She looked pretty cozy with Netanyahu recently.
1
Tom Steyer says, enough is enough.
So do I. But the spineless Republican Congress will not impeach, much less convict, unless there is more substantial evidence of "high crimes and misdemeanors" - whatever that may be.
On, On, Robert Mueller.
22
Moral Compass is NONRESISTANT in Trump's life and is now on display for all to see. This most important trait is the number one reason that his concerns are only those of himself and no one else. The costs reflected have now been displayed by the recent tax legislation which feathered the aerie of trump and his minions at the cost of all American's.
7
It must be perfectly OK because Evangelicals approve.
And the GOP, too. Remember this when you go vote next.
11
Perhaps Mr. Blow is trying to tell us more (and more) about the president than he is about Mrs. Trump: who he chose to marry, who he chose to cheat on, and with who he chose to do the cheating. I'm not sure that's grammatically correct, but you get the picture!
Perhaps we must register voters, help people get to the polls, vote with power and conviction, and stay focused on the November elections.
9
It was NOT grammatically correct...but it was moreso than if Trump had written it! We do get the picture...
1
What do greed, selfishness, gambling, unfaithfulness to ones spouse (or spouses) and knowingly telling falsehoods have to do with the teachings of Christianity?
Don't ask me. Ask the "Moral Majority." "The Christian Coalition" and "evangelical" Christians. And while your at it ask them about the Bibles teaching on hypocrisy. Beware false prophets?
6
Nothing scares me into Belief more than the right-wing cult in America today.
The Bible talks about christians being so upside-down and backwards in the "end times" that they line up to follow anti-christs.
I can't think of leaders more unlike Christ than the Republican leaders of the last few decades, especially Trump. The fact that the "Religious Right" is bathing in his dung lends great credence to end times prophecy of the Bible.
2
What I don't understand is how any woman can still support this man politically.
Indeed, How can any parent, man or woman support this man with his lack of ethics and values. He has not only abused women, but has also cheated those who did work for him and lied and lied and lied about many things.
Also, he never revealed his tax returns which means he is definitely hiding something.
I ask those who support him to think of their children and their lives.
12
As someone once said, in New York, the smaller the dress size, the larger the apartment. She married him for the dresses and the shoes. Sad indeed.
1
Non-Disclosure Agreements are against public policy and should be declared illegal for that reason. These NDAs are how repeat assaulters like Harvey Weinstein get away with serial abuse. It is how employers get away with serial sexual harrassment. The woman's option is to "settle" with the NDA or face expensive litigation. The law is supposed to protect the people, not help abusers hide their transgressions. NDAs should be banned in all settlements. Transparency and truth should be our constitutional duty.
10
Of course Melania knew. She knew what kind of relationship she was willing to put up with to have the lifestyle she wanted. She also now knows the price she had to pay to be in the position she is in. I hope she feels it was worth the price. Was it worth it? The look on her face at most gatherings speaks volumes.
10
She's still waiting to see if it's worth it.
If he croaks soon and she gets to live life with his money and a new partner, SURE it was worth it!
If he lives to be 110, not so much...
What about the child? How does he grow up in that sordid environment? What is he learning to become? Probably a rotten apple not far from the tree.
7
Especially playing and watching all that violent content...
Trump said he "can't believe" some of the things Barron watches...said, "How is this happening?"
He wants to blame violent video games because the NRA told him they make a nice scapegoat for guns.
In truth, Barron is watching those things because: POOR PARENTING. Absentee father, blaming everyone else because the "Party of Personal Responsibility" is a bunch of garbage and the truth is that Trump is a BAD DAD. Period.
3
Melania took a calculated risk when she married Trump. Obviously money won out. Maybe she figured he would do what he did with Maples..she has the kid, they separate and she is set for life without having to put up with him. A grave miscalculation on Melania's part. She is a disgrace as a first lady as he is as a president.
8
If the PA is structured the way many are, she "earns" more points by staying with an adulterous male than by leaving. My only thought is he will probably live to his 90s like his father. Thus, she has a long way to go until she's single by death. But they married for many reasons: He was enamored with her and once called her his "trophy wife." She needed money and a home and claimed Trump reminded her of her father (they are close in age). But she denied having a brother when questioned by CBS who held the proof; her father had an affair and even Mr. Knavs denied his son until a court shared the proof. So, it appears Donald and Melania could be more alike than most of us realize. She isn't going anywhere.
7
Their marriage is "beyond my comprehension". That the GOP and people still support him is beyond my comprehension. Yet, there is next to nothing that he can do that will shake the GOP's support and a loyal band of followers.
12
Let me help. "Money" is the answer you're looking for.
"Money" is why the GOP still support him. As he told rich elites at Mar-a-Lago after passing "tax reform", "You're all much richer now thanks to me."
"Money" is why Melania has his child too. And "Money" is why she not only doesn't care who else he gets in bed with...but she was probably the one who told him to go there anyway: "No, no, Donald...I have your child and your money already...you call prostitute now..."
1
Lots of words in all of these comments, I will add mine
Dear Melina when you lie down with dogs you get fleas!
18
I cannot see the point of shaming his wife. Can you?
14
yes.
11
She puts up with it. She is complicit, just as Hillary, in making adultery OK. Even many Walmart wives throw the bums out, but for reasons of greed or politics wives like these two stick around. It is their own business for sure, but nothing to admire and part of the story.
3
Yes. She should be shamed for essentially being a prostitute. She could have gone into the world and done some real work -- admittedly not for as much money as she got for marrying The Donald -- instead of selling body and soul to a wealthy misogynist.
She is the woman men can point to and say, "See? All women are golddiggers!"
Melania and women like her harm ALL women.
1
She knew, but before he was elected, so did we. Yet...
13
A reminder is needed here: He wasn't elected, he was placed in office by the archaic, non-democratic Electoral College.
17
Mr. Blow writes “… woman matter, … their voices and their stories matter, … propriety, honor and character matter.” Well, it’s neither proper nor honorable to take Melania Trump’s story and trash it by maligning and impugning her motives in marrying a man Mr. Blow hates. According to Mr. Blow, Melania and Donald have an understanding that “is beyond my comprehension.” Setting aside how disingenuous that statement is, the translation is clear: what kind of a woman would marry a man like that!
Moreover, Mr. Blow cannot seriously argue that, Melania, and only Melania, knew. By Mr. Blow’s own logic others must have known (it was so obvious after all), including some of Trump’s accusers, correct? Does that make them complicit too?
Quite simply, if women matter, and of course they do, then all women matter, including Donald Trump’s wife, Melania.
But really Mr. Blow, don’t you think it’s high time you used your intellect and station to write about something beyond your abject hatred of Donald Trump. Long ago you stopped adding anything to the subject. And now you’re mixing up villains and victims. When you know that a good ninety-five plus percent of the comments to your articles will be agreeable, indeed expounding upon and even celebrating your hatred, it becomes clear you have a lot more in common with the President than you would ever be willing to admit. For God’s sake, move on.
13
As much as one appreciates the logical tangle of trying to accuse "Trump's accusers," of somehow being complicit in Trump's having a porn star paid off, probably illegally, I have to say that these little attempts to portray everybody who doesn't kowtow to this particular lttle tin god as, "full of hatred," or, "hysterical," were tiresome when they first appeared on Rush and Hannity, and they haven't improved with age.
It's not Charles Blow who can't get through a simple campaign rally without praising hisself, lying, and spewing insults at Chuck Todd, you know.
1
Melania is a Birther like her husband. No mercy for her or for any of the so-called "Evangelical Christians" who ignore the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Christ.
2
Or the 11th: “Thou shalt not rule thy staff by thy rod.”
One has to wonder how much involvement Melania had in the 'dismissal' of Hope Hicks. Even though Hope was connected with Trump's 'beards' in the campaign and White House (Lewandowski, Porter, e.g.) she was a prime rival to Melania. OK, now she's gone. Who's next?
What's worse? Hillary forgiving Bill? Or, Melania turning perhaps a not-so-blind eye to her philandering husband?
3
I'm telling you all: the philandering is MELANIA's idea! She got pregnant, is guaranteed his money as long as she doesn't cross him...she said, "Never again, Donald: you call prostitutes now..."
1
Tellingly, "forgiveness" is a Christian virtue, while adultery, in scripture, is a sin worthy of stoning. But who gets the unqualified adulation and support of "christians" and who gets their bile and hatred?
Whoops! Did I type in “Post”? I thought I typed in “Times”. How embarrassing...
7
All of these weepers and moaners lamenting The innocent Melania’s “trashing” should revisit her actions immediately subsequent to the Access Hollywood incident. Specially review the interview conducted by a shamefully sheepish Anderson Cooper when he was granted an audience with the Queen in a gilded Throne room in trump tower, As the wifely bucket-brigade tradition goes this was a tour de force. Hillary’s Tammy-Wynette turn pales in comparison.
She said innocent Donald was egged into naughty boy talk by the vile Billy Bush, She said women as a habit approached Donald, even in her presence, and thrust their genitals into his innocent hands. Moreover, even if he grabbed them, she didn’t consider that assault. She said not only were all of his female accussers liars but they were all the agents of the fake left wing news media out to destroy baby Donald.
So enough with the Innocent Melania lament. The trashing Michelle took for once bareing her arms was more severe than the one Melania took for bareing her all. Indeed, in her line of toiletries were there was a fragrance called “Complicit” she’d reek of it.
24
Who said Melania was innocent? She is a hooker, basically. She knew exactly what she was getting into. She wanted money.
2
Can't we simplify these conversations by labeling; Wife#3, Affair#8 etc? I really can't keep track anymore.
11
I suspect it's a marriage of convenience and trade-offs for her, but truly it does not matter. What does matter is that all of America knew what a foul person Trump was well before the election, yet enough people voted for him to swing the election. That fact shows that a significant minority of Americans are gullible enough that they can be made willing to abandon civility and decency in the public square in exchange for a few scraps of (mostly imaginary) culture war, racial, tribal or other victory that makes them feel like they have some power over the "other."
Donald Trump is not the cause, but the inevitable end result, of a terrible trajectory. That is what scares me.
11
In all honesty, there are two Americas. One of decent & loyal wives and husbands who believe in God and have solid marriages (an extinct species) and one of increased and agreed upon promiscuity and adultery (just look at all the ads posted on Craigslist under married looking for married or for the other 16 or more weird and promiscuous combos listed under personals totalling staggering numbers of people). Hence. the current POTUS ticket has a representative of each of these two Americans o it: the VP Pence is a loyal and decent husband with a rather homely wife and a marriage based and maintained on all the morally right reasons (and he is ridiculed non stop for being square by the left) and President Trump who is an unabashed representative of the second and newest America, the promiscuous one, though, truth be told, his promiscuity is toay rather quaint and textbook generic to quote Stormy Daniels, compared to what is really going on out there.
The liberals like Mr. Blow can't have it both ways, kill religion and traditional moral and encourage an everything-goes permission of all sexual matters, even a glorification of the most fringe elements, and then turn round and pass any moral judgment on Donald and Melania Trump.
5
While "liberals can't have it both ways", neither can conservatives.
If you recall during the Clinton Impeachment, Newt Gingrich was happy to vilify Mr Clinton for his affairs at the same time he had a relationship outside of marriage with his aide, Calista. Turns out she's such a devout Catholic that Trump was happy to appoint her as Ambassador to the Vatican. Somehow she was able to set aside her Catholic values to have an affair with a married man and later become his third wife.
Our current president was proud to have his affair and first divorce splashed all over the front pages of New York periodicals. His daughter Tiffany was born before he married her mother.
It seems when it comes to matters of sex and fidelity, the Republican Party is always the first to bring up its importance as an example to the country and children. It has been a defining characteristic for them. It is only natural for non republicans to call them out when they are caught breaking their own rules. What do you expect?
2
"One of decent & loyal wives and husbands who believe in God and have solid marriages. .." That world never existed. It is a fantasy. Pence is not a decent man; he is a horror, and he wants to enslave women all over again. So many of those "solid" marriages involve domestic violence. Let's drop the "happy, solid marriage" fantasy, okay? And let's forget about "God". "God" doesn't belong in our government.
2
Kill religion. There’s a great idea!
2
I'll tell you what bothers me most Mr. Blow.
That EVERYONE in this country knew what a vile man Mr. Trump was and is.
From his affairs, to his infantile name calling, to his business dealings.
And yet people still voted for him and all but a few from the GOP stands behind him.
How deeply saddening.
24
We all knew who Trump was before he was elected.
Trump is who he is and always has been, an ignorant racist, sexual predator, bigot and lying fraud. As a supreme narcissist he wears these labels with pride. It is the Republicans, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell the ultra-right Kochs, Mercers, Adelsons et al, and the hate-mongering right wing media that have opened up this festering sore we call the Trump chaos.
17
I think that it is a very sad commentary on our national regard for women as people...as opposed to objects or property...that such a 'relationship' is no longer considered prostitution once a marriage license has been tacked to it.
4
Many a bride has entered a marriage wearing rose-colored glasses. What Melania knew or expected is her business, not ours. Speculating this way and trying to connect it to #MeToo and #TimesUp is ridiculous . Stay on topic with the real subject: a morally depraved husband.
9
Of course she knew and now she probably knows what a bad deal it is for her. Just look at her unhappy face!
9
Donald Trump has a real Zeus complex where the powerful sky god father lusts after and even seduces his own daughter in this case Aphrodite, but in Donald Trump's case it's Ivanka. He even complimented his now outed affair with Stormy Daniels by telling her, according to Maureen Dowd, "by comparing her to Ivanka." This sick version of a Greek tragedy is playing daily in The White House instead of in the nut house where it belongs. We have government by psycho-drama with a clearly mentally unstable man constantly abusing his power on all in his path. There is no normalizing this; it's abnormal, abusive behavior that requires restraint and treatment rather than the the enabling of the Republican Congress and those still wringing their hands in hopes in the West Wing.
8
I am sorry that Melania Trump has to endure her family laundry being aired this way. However Trump is not shy about broadcasting his bad behavior and thinking so no woman should approach him thinking it will be different for her. He seems prepared to throw anyone under a bus as the world has learned over the past two years.
6
What would be interesting if the gender was reversed. A female POTUS who had affairs, paid off male consorts, groped men. Would the GOP support her? I can only imagine at how fast they would impeach her because she is not a true representative of an American woman. Well, you so-called righteous, upstanding, for-the-people hypocrites, neither is Trump. He is a lousy excuse for a man.
7
It depends. Would she be chopping taxes on the wealthest, chopping regulations on corporations, and carrying the NRA's can for them?
If so, then sure.
2
Agreee with all you say, Mr. Blow. But, as others have pointed out the hypocrisy on the left is astounding.
President Clinton assasulted (according to the modern the modern feminist penal code) Ms. Lewinsky as she was unable to consent to his overtures given the power dynamic in their relationdhio. Yet he is hardly shunned by the progressives of our day.
6
No, the point is the astonishing hypocrisy on the right, which was outraged by Clinton but gives Trump a pass.
1
Of course Melania knew. From the beginning of time their were certain women whose sought impregnation as a way to 'keep' a man. Melania wasted no time. Even with a prenuptial, she can assume her son, Barron will 'take care' of her.
8
She married a twice married adulterer who boasted about his sexual prowess. She made her choice and I bet she can recite that prenuptial, chapter and verse.
7
And yet Trumps biggest fans are the Evangelicals! They have proven they are the most hypocritical group of all. As long as they can get their anti abortion zealots on the courts they could care less of the character of the person in the White House.
12
Wonder if Hilary knew as well...
4
When white collar crooks are convicted of their well crafted crimes the wife always gets a away scot free. The "wife" suffers only in humiliation even if she was listed as CFO of her husband's bogus money scheming pyramid. Melania is as guilty as Donald, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Jared, she's just prettier.
7
Women voters who voted for Trump are really at fault.
6
Because they forced him to cheat on his wife?
Sexual morality is dead. I don't want to hear a single word from evangelicals and the so-called "Moral Majority" and "family values" crowd about anything to do with sex, marriage and family. And "righteous" Mike Pence and Reverend Huckabee better keep silent too. After supporting and serving this amoral, shameless, unrepentant adulterer, they have no business preaching to the rest of us. Donald Trump has trashed the office of the president. We will never be able to view it with respect again.
14
Religion appears to be in its long overdue death spiral.
Good riddance!
8
I will say again, for the umpteenth time, that I agree with Charles Blow that Donald Trump is a bad guy, and that he is unfit and unqualified to be president. But, as a quick glance at Blow's columnist page on the Times's website confirms, Mr. Blow has done nothing but write screeds against Trump since August 2016. As I say, I share his negative assessment of Trump, but I wish he would set aside his obsession and write about something else once in a while. We all know that Trump is a bad guy. Honest, Charles, we do. I much prefer it when columnists tell me something I don't know.
8
Maybe the women who married him didn't care what he did with other women because they were so repulsed, and only wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. Imagine living with this vile, crude, disgusting, revolting childish man. If he was cheating on them maybe he was leaving them alone and in peace.
10
How can so-called "Christian" fundamentalists condone the adulterous and lewd behavior of a person they so proudly espoused as a president, unless they are as immoral and unprincipled as trump? The phrase is "Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas" certainly applies here; it's obvious they have slept in the same soiled bed.
6
Melania knew then and knows now yet she manages to escape the harsh criticism Hillary Clinton faced when she chose to stay with her philandering husband. Why? Because Melania Trump is eye candy, a cypher, keeping her mouth shut, doing what she is told to do, staying in the background, hiding behind those big glasses and long hair -- the kind of woman Donald Trump likes best in his companion of the moment. Melania Trump aids and abets her crass strutting husband in demeaning women as much as Hillary Clinton was accused of doing. The wild card, though, is a woman who does not plan to shut up -- Stormy Daniels.
11
While Melania, (and certainly Baron) is a somewhat sympathetic character in this farce our once great nation has devolved into, it can't be denied that she is the gold-digger who made good, hit the jackpot, married a assumed billionaire who became POTUS!! Huge win for her, right?
This is the downside, Mel; She who rises by the sleazy route falls by the sleazy route. Sad.
8
Charles Blow, in all due respect to you and your column, I have to ask why you, The New York Times, and the news media in general keep focusing on Trump and his sex life rather than on the most important issue facing our country in a lifetime—the interferance in our democratic elections by a foreign country. Russia's money laundering through the NRA to finance the Trump election, James Comey's failure to disclose prior knowledge of Russian interference, and the trail of dead Russians around the world leading up to the election and most recently in England. Sexual indescretion in Washington and Wall Street, which owns it? Ho hum. Bores me to tears.
10
Melania is complicit. Ivanka is complicit. Everyone in the White House is complicit. They all know exactly what kind of man Trump is and they don't care. Evangelical 'Christians', Trump voters, Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan - they are all complicit in the coarsening of public morals that we are witnessing under Trump.
Of course if I said this to my relatives who vote Republican they would retort with 'But Bill Clinton...' and 'But Hillary...'. No. Bill Clinton owned up to his infidelities and no-one was widely aware of them while he was in office, until the Republican smear campaign finally did its work.
Trump is a shady, sleazy man with poor morals. It's widely known. The porn star scandal is just another sideshow. Enough to destroy any other politician, especially any politician that is not white and not a millionaire - but for Trump, it's run of the mill.
8
Of course Melania knew but she also got what she wanted (plus a bit more). She's here, married to a man who supposedly has money (even if owed money). He got her here on an Einstein Visa, what a laugh but that explains why the initial lie about her having a degree on the white house website. She has he parents here and an anchor baby. She's set, why would she divorce this guy?
8
Melania knew, all of NYC knew what kind of man Trump is. Grifter, fraud, con, cheat but the moniker that frightens me the most is agent for a foreign country with the intention to destroy our republic with the support of the NRA and complete complicity of the GOP and republican congress
8
Charles, you really have to get out more. Maybe try reading a novel or two. If you find this incomprehensible you have a rather limited imagination or world view. But be honest. This has nothing to do with principle, it is all about partisanship. If Trump was moving the country in a direction you approved you would be wearing a MAGA hat, backwards if you prefer, but you would be wearing one.
4
Interesting that amidst all the recent attention and valid recognition given to the crisis of rampant misogyny across all races and socioeconomic groups in this country, Mr Blow’s first and most virulent column on the topic is focused on Donald and Melania Trump’s marriage. Mr. Blow’s angry obsession with this president continues to negate the effectiveness of his message and indeed strain the credibility of the NYT Editorial Board.
4
Melania is the classic trophy wife. So many rich white men love Eastern European women because they think they are subservient, but Melania knew what she getting into and what she wanted. Like most of the mail order brides after they get 'legal' here they bring over their parents and then other relatives. Barron could just be an anchor baby for all we know. She maybe subservient in public but behind closed doors she calls the shots. After El Dunce is out of office she will be moving on with a nice bank account.
6
In all this mess I have great sympathy for Barron. Talk about growing up in a dysfunctional family Dad is a leach and liar and mom is in for the cash and lifestyle
2
Melania chose to marry Donald Trump. That tells you exactly the kind of person she is. Don't project your own morals, ethics, feelings, concerns and pains on Melanie. She's not like you.
5
"TRUMP" is never having to say you're sorry.
2
There is an assumption that Melania is an ordinary wife. She isn't. She is a high-maintenance gold digger who is paid to look beautiful, be a gracious hostess, bear children and keep her mouth shut. In that, she, much the same as Jackie Kennedy, is doing an excellent job.
2
Remarkable similarity to the Clintons.
3
It is not similar AT ALL. Too many Americans have terrible critical thinking skills.
1
A "womanizing misogynist" should have been an oxymoron. Somehow it's not here.
2
Of course she knew. And she doesn't care - not in the past, and not now. Would any woman of true moral character take up with a slimy person, if not cut of the same dirty cloth? It is time for any woman who does not think of herself as chattel to get out and vote!
1
Mr. Blow, I usually love your pieces, but I find your choice of a headline and opening salvo here quite misogynistic. Your proclamation that “Melania knew” is irrelevant to the meat of your story, the ethical depravity of DT, while making you sound like some fundamentalist declaring that, just like in the case of Eve and her apple, women, and their knowledge, are the real problem. Like you pointed out, the particulars of the relationship between Melania and DT are their business. Your making a headline of ‘she knew what she was getting into’ to make this point just detracts from it and shines a less-than-flattering light on you.
6
Agree. Purportedly celebrating woman and dumping on Melania at the same time seems hypocritical.
2
Of course, she knew. She undoubtedly knows about a lot of others that we don't. If Daniels got $130K to keep quiet, how much do you think Mrs. Trump is being paid not to run out the front door of the White House? To raise that kind of cash, did Trump's lawyer take out a second mortgage on it?
3
She's no innocent here ! She's as vile and repellent as the cretin is. I have no sympathy for her at all. She went into this devils bargain with eyes wide open. She's another vacuous grifter.
6
The sad irony (or the opportunity) for Melania is that she cannot talk about this important issue for women as FLOTUS; she cannot get on board unless she addresses her own situation. This is/was also true for "cyberbullying" which she has oddly chosen to make her cause but cannot speak about because of her husband. She seems trapped, not happy, still nodding by DJT's side, but a also prisoner of where her own choices have led her. She knew to an extent.....
4
". . . propriety, honor and character matter"? Not to Christian evangelicals. Not to the GOP. It's all politics now.
4
"...a Trump worldview about women: that they are mere objects and opportunities, a reward owed to men of wealth, and that objections and protestations are invalid."
"This is about the defamation of, silencing of, and shouting down of women."
Charles - you could have written the first sentence about Bill Clinton, and the second about Hillary - when it might have done some good.
1
throughout history people have treated marriage like a transaction. think of all the arranged marriages. the royal marriages for political purposes. we are naive to think that all marriages are for love. isn't marrying for love a relatively modern concept? People like to think they'd never marry for money but be honest, what would you do if a billionaire handed you his or her card and said "call me." Everyone has their price.
Melania knows that everyone is aware that her husband is a cad, and that she married for money--Stormy isn't even a blip on her radar screen. She always acts dignified, like a first lady. That's her job. And she is paid well. I used to be a lot more idealistic...before Trump was elected. The way he talks (sexually) about his daughter, though, that sickens me. 99% of what he does sickens me!
3
Over 50% of white women who voted knew too. While many will proclaim that this situation is over the proverbial line, it is these white women that hold the key. Of course, they are in league with the Hope Hicks and KellyAnnes, the Betsy DeVos' and the Sarah Huckabees that have served as midwives to an administration in which propriety, honor and character can be sacrificed for expediency.
1
I seriously don't care about the state of Melania Trump's marriage, Donald Trump's grotesque sex life, or--since this seems to be the latest excuse straight from the Hannity audience--Bill Clinton's sleazy behavior with a grown woman, LBJ and Kennedy's horsing around, or what FDR was up to in 1938.
I do care about: the President's lawyer paying off a hooker and lying about it, because that's very likely a breach of campaign finance law; the unbelievable hypocrisy of the "vales voter," crowd, because they won't shut up about everybody else's sex lives; the bizarre self-contradictions and ignorances of Trump's apologists, because they show how hard it is to run a democracy when about 30% of the population is nuts.
7
“In April, 2004...” - proposal.
I then looked back to see when that “...a fashion week...” at which they met took place, to notice that tidbit is left out of the story”
Story doesn’t say.
Anybody know?
Trump's sexual escapades or his wife's ability to deal with them is none of our business, nor was JFK's, FDR's Clinton's or Eisenhower's. We need to be more French and put the private lives of our political leaders where they belong, in a locked closet.
It is Trump's outrageous behavior, his incessant lying and incoherent policies as President that should cast a shadow long enough to darken his Presidency and open the door to impeachment.
5
Part of the "outrageous behavior" is his lying and susceptibility to being blackmailed that is of interest. His smug self-righteousness in front of his evangelical base is appalling.
6
Trump's immunity reminds me of a statement from "lovable rogue" Governor Edwin Edwards of Louisiana: "The only way I can lose this election is if I’m caught in bed with either a dead girl or a live boy.". Anybody got a live boy?...
4
Yes, most of us know that he's a serial sexual predator, going from woman to woman since he was young, but a small, loud, minority still supports him. I don't know how can they not be outraged by his behavior to our flag when he was a young man - how he lied through his teeth, and through his father's doctors teeth, when he claimed to be physically unable to serve in our armed forces. This is just spitting at our flag and our men and women in uniform.
His behavior with women is just a tiny part of what he'll have to answer for after he dies. How will he explain his behavior towards our flag.
He is a truly evil man. Although he may avoid what's due him in this life, he'll not be so lucky when he meets St. Peter.
3
This revolution of another alleged extramarital affair with a porn star certainly lends credence to the allegations in the Christopher Steele dossier.
4
I have to agree with Bill Maher, immigrants like Melania & Ivanka and all his employees take the jobs no one wants.
8
I keep wondering how the media would have responded if the situation was the opposite and it was Melania who hired a personal escort.
6
It is beyond me how anyone, especially a woman, could fail to recognize trump for the blowhard con man he is. After 5 minutes around him Melania could have opted to avoid the trap he laid. She chose instead to embrace it. No sympathy for her but for their child, whose suffering will last a lifetime, irrespective of the trappings of fame and fortune his so-called father bestows. It would be great to see Stormy blow trump's cover sufficient to dash evangelicals' and die-hard republicans' cover for the hypocrisy and obesience of their failing leadership. What will it take for them to reject trump and his freshly stocked swamp of charlatans? As trump often says, we'll see.
2
I heard - on NPR I believe - a telephone interview by Howard Stern of Trump while Trump was in bed with Melania. Howard asked a number of suggestive questions which Trump answered suggestively/lewdly. Then he put Melania on the phone who, out of discretion or lack of proficiency in English, answered Stern's suggestive questions in a cheerful, "Yes I love America" spirit. I wish someone would find and publicize this interview. It was more disgisting than anything I had heard Trump say in the MSM.
3
It's hard to know or judge what goes on in a marriage. Although, having said that, I know that it certainly didn't help Hillary Clinton that she "stood by her man" and even landed a few blows on Monica Lewinsky and others. But, the issue with Donald Trump and Melania is not their marriage, unless she decides "Enough is enough!" and leaves, it's what, as you note, it says about the character of the man we elected President. A man who has no "love life," but only a "sex life;" a man willing to engage is slippery and sleazy financial behavior to coverup his numerous infidelities and and God knows what other crimes. And, that gets to why the Stormy Daniels affair is really important. It's not about Melania; it's not even all about sex as captivating as it is; it's about the use of money and power to corrupt not just women, but everything in Trump's path. Given the immense efforts Donald Trump and his bag man lawyer, Michael Cohen, are going through to silence Stephanie Clifford, there clearly is much more that has the potential to get a the very dark heart of the matter. It may, like Harvey Weinstein, reveal a legal house of cards of dozens of women silenced with payoffs for non-disclosure agreements, Or, it may reveal how such a system of corrupt bribes ripples through the entire Trump Organization. All we can hope for is that, as with #MeToo, that Ms. Clifford prevails and that Time's Up for the man who has become our Predator-in-Chief.
5
Cannot believe that ANYONE truly believes there is anything at all romantic about their business deal masquerading as a marriage. Never was, never will be.
She's an accessory, an expensive one. She gets paid well and one can draw their own conclusions from that. I'd be willing to bet she's grateful when he turns his attentions to porn stars and playmates so she doesn't have to deal with him any more than necessary.
What bothers her is the public humiliation, the fact that everyone knows what he does and that she didn't do anything about it except enable him with her pathetic support and excuses.
She deserves everything she's getting and more. Sympathy? You cannot be serious. Doubt there is a more cold blooded person on earth.
4
1. Trump is fundamentally lawless. It is only about what he can get away with.
2. Trump cares not one whit about anyone but himself.
And yet millions voted for him as president. If sentient, each of them knew exactly what they were doing: granting a license to steal to thieves, a license to rape to rapists, a license to destroy to Berserkers. Nobody, certainly not Melania, had or has the right to be surprised. The Evangelicals will need a "Newer Testament" to describe how Christ really wanted exactly this for themselves and their country--and planet.
5
And even with all of this evangelical Christians will continue to claim that man as one of their own. The sheer hypocrisy is mind numbing.
6
voters knew too ... easily the most obvious public "duh" in my lifetime
5
Every instance of a conceal nefarious sexual or financial relationship by Trump is an invitation for extortion or blackmail contrary to the nation interests. Little wonder Trump frequently acts like someone with something to hide.
4
obviously written before the attack on Maxine Waters, even worse.
2
Why haven't the rumors about Melania stopped? is Trump trying to stop Stormy from telling the truth? If plurium interrogationum has been accepted by the Right why can't we use it, too?
1
The thing that makes the most sense to me concerning why women marry men who they know are womanizers (leaving aside money considerations) comes from Nora Ephron who said for her it was ego. You know, you always think you're the one who will make them act different. Is this a quote from a Woody Allen movie? Anyway, I still have sympathy for a fellow human who suffers over a decision they made for reasons that made sense to them at the time. Especially if they were young and still mostly ignorant of life. I doubt that Melania ever thought she would suffer this sort of humiliation in front of such a vast audience. Maybe she did marry for love, Ivana seemed to as did Marla Maples. We surely don't know.
2
"Propriety, honor, character matter", every voice matters, people having the awareness that they count, need to be recognized for their substance, truth, and dreams matters.
Visualize Melania tipping out of the private space and an imposter takes her place. Maybe it isn't a very good imposter, Trump immediately comments on the imposter's looks, becomes absolutely sexually insulting, provoking the base instinct in anyone within earshot, especially the intended; now, if Melania has been watching, if she can hold the reigns of a marionette controlling the imposter, what does she do, say, react like?
I think she is so muted, winking her opinion subtly, about bullying, about rights, that a well of grief must be down there, churning, bubbling, emoting; Maybe she's partly lost it. My opinions...
Melania knew. So what. Half the article admits that the Trumps must have a private arrangement the writer doesn't understand. What Melania didn't know was that her husband intended to run for President and that their dirty laundry would be on display for everyone on the planet to see. If you're against the shaming of women, leave this woman alone. Her husband is undermining our democracy -- take your pulpit and your talent and give us something on THAT.
3
The Trump phenomenon in all its squalor, collusion with Russia, blackmail by Russia, multiple bankruptcies with stiffing of contractors while he walks away with millions, money laundering from who knows what kinds of crimes, attacks on the freedom of the press, abuse of power of the office of the President, a conscious mocking of the Presidency itself, the sexual exploitation of women, his cavorting with women thought to be powerless in our society like Ms Daniels who is an actress in the porn film industry followed by payment of hush money to silence her and finally intimidation to silence her, probable election law violations, serial lying, etc. Doesn't this all have the odor of the stench of the moral decay of the early Roman Empire. At least Tiberias removed himself to Capri to keep his abuse of women and minors out of the public view. To think that 30 to 40 percent of our society including evangelical Christians can not only live with this, but support this president would indicate to me a society already in the process of decay. Not that I am a puritanical moralist, far from it, as I believe consensual sexual affairs should not be disqualifying. But this business of Trump is a whole magnitude above that.
4
Why so little outrage over Trump's behavior on the part of evangelicals? Because when you see a barnyard animal relieving itself, you figure it is just doing what animals have always done.
2
You will never get anywhere in America with this complaint because the inviolability of spousal relations unconditionally smothers every gasp. In any honest society, you'd get a Pulitzer.
In addition to the liar in chief commenting about his attraction to Ivanka as an early teenager, DJT and wife Marla were interviewed by Robin Leach in 1994, one year after the birth of daughter Tiffany.
Leach asked Trump what body part/attributes baby Tiffany received from him and what from mother Marla. Trump said Tiffany had her mother's legs and... then used both hands in rubbing motions over his chest. The three shared a laugh over his degrading sexualized reference-- that he saw his second daughter, a one year old, reduced to legs and breasts in his eyes.
His sexualization and objectification of both daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany, is documented in various interviews over the years--video and print.
This is who he is. He is a lecherous cheat and liar. He has no boundaries, even when it comes with his daughters. His wives have been bought, perhaps his daughters as well.
4
America knew too.
4
It was also a way for Melania's parents and sister to come to America.
Chain migration?
Her parents live in Trump Tower and her older sister Ines Knauss lives in a $2 million apartment in a posh Park Avenue building owned by the Trump Organization.
3
Whenever society wonders if women feel equal or empowered, the answer is "no" as long as there are women like Melania. Melania and her type are the bellwether, women who will do whatever to be "rich," or "successful."
I hope someday Melania has enough support around her to just walk away from this sham of a marriage and move on.
1
I hope the author of this hit piece made himself feel really good with his speculation and innuendos.
1
And then we'll...do exactly what? Be outraged? Trump couldn't give a fig if we're outraged because he knows his dunderheads will still vote for him and he has completely emasculated Congress. He may get impeached but he won't be convicted. Let's hope we can carry our outrage for the next three years because I think we're stuck with him.
2
Melania knew. The voters knew. No one has been hoodwinked here, except the press and journalists.
3
I'm sorry, but I cannot condone the language New York Times writes use to talk about President Trump.
It's far too mild.
Anything less graphic than "dirt" is simply unacceptable.
3
Charles: The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements arose to address women who have been wronged by the sexual misconduct of men. Of course women and their voices, stories, propriety honor and character matter. But there are no female victims in the Trump/Stormy Daniels fling, particularly since, as you claim, Melania knew what she was getting into when she married the Womanizer in Chief. The Stormy Daniels saga is not about females being victimized by men - it's about Trump being proven yet again to be a liar and a sleaze.
3
There are at least three differences between Melania and Stormy.
Stormy has a better stage name.
Stormy is honest about her work and objectives
Trump somehow chose to keep Melania around.
2
This why I have zero sympathy for Melania. She knew full well from the get go according to this reporting and yet she persisted in her pursuit of what she thought was her onw personal gold mine. She only discovers later it is a prison.
2
Oh, but Mr. Blow, surely you are mistaken! After all, it was the Republican party which declared, hand over heart when impeaching Bill Clinton, that "Character Counts!"
2
I have this recurring fantasy that Melania already has divorce papers drawn up and ready to serve the day after Mueller announces his 56-page indictment against Trump for a host of impeachable acts.
3
Melanie can grow from this moment. She can leave her despicable husband and speak up for healthy relationships, not ones of male privilege, male sexual assault that is laughed off, and outright lying.
If she stays married to the con man Don, she stays small too.
2
"Melania Knew" AND "The Tipping Equation: How Far Is Too Far?" (same page) are really the same issue. Melania had to figure out how far Trump could be sexually obnoxious, swallow it all, and assure her tip. In her case it had to be a tip for her entire life so she has to be very flexible indeed.
3
Worth noting: When speaking about the presidential campaign with journalist Michael Wolff, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon openly claimed that Trump’s attorney Marc Kasowitz needed to pull out the candidate from “All kinds of jams. What did we have? A hundred women? Kasowitz took care of them all,” said Bannon.
As to this president's defenders:
Let's not forget the Access Hollywood recording as the Stormy Daniels affair was going on, Trump bragged about trying to have sex with married women and groping women, saying "when you're a star, they let you do it."
TERRIBLE CANDIDATE FROM THE START.
2
Among the worst op-eds I've ever read. There's no reporting, no analysis--just a serving of unsourced assertions from GC, with a garnish of angry rant.
I do appreciate the way it does the math for us, though: 'six months after Access Hollywood, Melania gave birth, meaning she was pregnant when the Access Hollywood tape was made.' Thanks.
1
It's a match made in heaven
2
Our POTUS has extremely poor character and is likely going to prison.
1
This not about Melania, she made her choice. This about an individual who was blackmailed in the past and paid a substantial sum of money.What else he is holding and who else is blackmailing him.
2
I have mixed feelings about the MeToo movement: it's good that women are speaking frankly about their experiences and find a community that is willing to stand up for their fair and honest treatment. It was time for that.
I am concerned however about using MeToo to justify an attack on the Trump relationship. Why is Mr. Blow insisting that Melania must be defended? None of us knows what her relationship looks like behind closed doors and making use of the NYT editorial platform to retrace the chronology of her relationship with her husband is only an excuse for patronizing liberal posturing. Her relationship- like everyone else's- is complicated and built on understanding that are not only private but are none of our business as Mr. Blow admits. To be discontent about the results of the election is fine. Continuing to shove Melania Trump into the spotlight as an example of a woman who should be liberated from her husband does a disservice to the empowerment of a women's lib movement where women speak for themselves in their own powerful voices. Let Melania Trump do what she will and move on.
1
Those 62 million American voters will claim this is fake news, a witch hunt, and Hillary Clinton is worse for not leaving her husband.
3 billion people on the planet will disagree.
3
Lest we forgot, Trump is not just a president of a supposedly democratic country which concept in itself - democracy - is foreign to most of his supporters (or call them subjects) - Trump is King, Trumpus the First ( or The Great?!)! And a self-loving king is given to such activities as seeding his oats where and when he deems right. History demonstrates this, be that Carol the Great, a bunch of Henris, Louises and whoever ruled with impunity of which Trump has plenty. And if America goes to dogs and he gets elected again and then for life, we should not expect anything else but a few more wives, perhaps a public execution on front lawn, and there will be adoring subjects cheering the event; to crown the salacious exploits of their King!
1
Agreed, Melania knew. The only thing I think that has come to light is really how morally corrupt Trump is and I don't think Melania could fathon that and I think a lot of voters for Trump could not fathom what a really terrible person he is either. He is through and through a nasty, mean, corrupt person.
Of course she married him for his money and position why else do women like that marry men like Trump? But when you watch Trump getting on and off the plane, at the inauguration, Trump only cares about Trump, he has no manners in terms of deference to his wife. Melania is just a possession, a notch in the belt.
The question is, with this payoff to Daniels becoming public, does it trigger anything in the pre-nup agreement and does Melania finally say enough is enough. Everyone has their limits, even people who thought they knew what they were getting into like Melania.
1
Trump is much more of a cult leader than politician. His supporters seem to devour his continuing illogical, contradictory and inappropriate communications. As with many other cult leaders, his sex life is polygamous. Probably a number of children have resulted from these encounters. We cannot deal with Trump as a simple narcissist, he is the leader of a cult which is slowly engulfing the Republican party.
1
Milania knew! That is hardly the point to make.
The GOP knew when they let Trump weasel into the primary as a candidate along with the other nobodies. They knew what would happen if he became President. And when it did happen, they were happy to play along, and still are.
That’s the important answer to “Who knew?”. And how about the next question, eh? Whaddaya think they’ll do about it??
3
"Clifford alleges that the 'intimate relationship' began in July 2006 and continued “well into the year 2007.”
If true, that explains why Trump is now concerned enough to pull "Korea talks" out of his great big bag of distractions. Lots could happen during an affair over that time period. Lot of unintended consequences for someone who only cares about his immediate needs. Did dastardly Don demand an end to more than just the relationship? Just saying...I hear you won't believe what people are finding out...Let's see what happens.
In my imagination, I see Trump (and any number of misogynists) with a long list of women whose names have the hashtag beside them that says #hahabutnot you. When you know yourself to be obscenely rich and unbelievably intelligent (not to mention handsome and being a babe-magnet) you can do these things. After all, if it doesn’t bother you, why should you care what anyone else thinks? After all, they are wrong and it’s fake news anyway.
I read comments of people saying it shouldn't be a topic of conversation.
But the 'scandal' and legal problems are admissions his own staff paid off a porn star to buy her silence. And are been intimidating her.
The 'shame' is his wife was pregnant and giving birth.
Trump likely violated campaign finance laws, adding to his continuing ethics breaches with failing to divest from his businesses and grifting as president from his hotel in DC and other properties. Including getting emoluments from undisclosed foreign dignitaries spending money there/giving gifts.
His own chief of staff told an author permitted in Trump's white house for a full year there were hundreds of women paid off by Trump lawyers prior to the election. I believe the author---privy to every conversation/meeting or casual encounter, verbal outburst and the like. Every door was said to be open.
I'm concerned with fraudulent pay offs to women to silence them, and current maneuvers to intimidate them. As well as campaign fraud. But Stormy Daniels has a lawyer far superior to any Trump employs. And this plot will thicken.
1
Trump and Melanie both get what they want in this marriage. Trump gets to play around, as discretely as a famous guy can, and has a hot looking wife at the same time. Melania turns her head and smiles, in pain. For this, she gets a son, and financial stability for life. I think they both understood this going in. No sympathy for Melania, and she was obviously smart enough to have a prenup.
4
All of this stuff was well known to the voters who elected him. He said himself he's a molester on the Hollywood tape before the election. It didn't matter to his voters any more than his ignorance, his mendacity and his bigotry mattered to them.
2
What does this say about women who voted for trump?
3
What should we expect from a country that offers constitutional rights just about anyone who wants to military-grade weapons but not to women?
2
Yes, Melania knew what kind of creep Trump is but so did any American who was paying attention. No one who voted for Trump has an excuse.
2
Shaming the shameless is impossible.
2
When you marry for money you usually end up earning it.
4
Whether she knows or not is irrelevant to me as that is her business and her relationship. What does matter is when my grand children say "Gramps why does Trump go out with other women when he has a wife?". That does upset me and is indicative of whole slew of WHY questions I have? Why doesn't he worry about what his young son thinks and how does this affect him. Why does he stay married if he wants to run around? Why doesn't he have any policies? Why is everything about him. The list is endless and I am sure you have your own list of WHY's, but I do feel sorry for Barron and living in the Trump moment and I wonder why Melania does not take her son and leave the self aggrandizing buffoon we have for a president and she has for a husband. Children First!
1
So, Charles, Trump is a creep. And he is President. And the GOP Congress figures they can adapt if things go their way.
So I’d say the GOP Congress is fine with Trump and his lack of ethics, greed, immorality, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, nepotism, narcissism, - - - all are OK with them. A point already clear in their endorsement of the Moore candidacy, and virtually every action they have taken.
The point? The GOP Congress is of a piece with Trump. No difference.
How about focusing more on that reality, Charles?
4
What the porn star affair along with the simultaneous affairs with the Playboy model and other women reveal is not only how sleazy Trump is but that the 2013 trip to Moscow with his encounter with multiple prostitutes at his hotel is likely. The Russian dossier noted this was recorded to be used as kompromat against Trump.
The whole pattern of behavior led to the payment of hush money just before the election, quite possibly with illegal campaign contributions. It led to yet more lies among Trump's thousands.
If doesn't matter if Melania knew. Who else did? How many blackmail opportunities were there? During Trump's marriage to Ivana, Eastern European secret police had Trump under observation. How much similar blackmail material was recorded?
The issue has criminal and national security parameters. Trump's tawdry affairs may be disgusting (except to evangelicals and Republicans) but how far has he gone to hide explicit evidence?
1
Melania knew what kind of man. And so did the voters who supported him. They ignored it then and still do. That’s the most perverse part of this story. As he said during the campaign, “I could shoot someone on 5th Ave...”. Having affairs, making payoffs, just being gross. No big deal.
2
Melania,
If you are reading these posts... sorry, not sorry.
The choices we make, and the consequences we live with eh?!
But! If you ever needed a time to bail, NOW is when the rats are leaving.
Fear not about $$. The book(s) deal alone will keep you and Baron living comfortably. As you have found out, there is only soo much you can do with money. At above a certain amount its just bragging and score keeping.
Leave! NOW! An abuser will always be such (mostly). But victims can change.
Now's the time. The Storm dirt is going to be hilarious and sordid. Stick that knife in deep and hard. Right between the shoulder blades. (dramatic rendering, not intended as a promotion of violence nor any of the sort) /s
Best of luck to you and yours.
Those fleas have got to hurt by now.
2
It's all very ironic.
If Donald Trump had not become president, Hillary Clinton would have.
If Hillary Clinton had become president, a woman would be in the position of Target-in-chief. The misogynists would be in the position of outsiders making guerrilla attacks on women through crude ″resistance″ to a female authority figure. The inevitable Republican Congress would be striving to disable and discredit a female president by way of opposition to the Democratic Party, instead of becoming clearly complicit in a reign of misogyny.
No doubt the forces that gave rise to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements would still be energized, but not the way Trump has energized them. It's because he became president and the Republicans made him their master that there is now a rolling wave of determination to defeat the misogyny he represents. A numbing of America's sympathies? I don't think so.
That's not to say we should be glad to have the biggest lemon in history as our president, only that it's an unprecedented chance to make lemonade.
2
Jackie and JFK. Enough said.
2
Trump is no JFK.
Not enough in the same universe.
4
Love is blind, Mr. Blow. And that's not to say Melania is "in love" - it's the Trump supporters who are blind to the dark, and ultimately destructive, flaws in their beloved Donald's character.
Like the subjects in the famouns study of Stockholm Syndrome, they see every oppressive and unjust action by their guy as proof of his superiority. It makes one wonder when, if ever, the stakes will rise high enough and the damage deep enough to snap them out of their delusion.
Meanwhile, Melania trashes her potential as a role model for anyone who values integrity.
Sigh.
1
Whether Melanie knew it or not, she probably still hurts because to keep rubbing you infidelities Trump's behavior is like picking newly formed scabs. That said let's understand that Trump is a person with no human sensitivities that can feel that his actions actually hurt people, be it his wife or the people he deals with every day. He will use you and when he is done he throw you away. Now realize that we have put this monster in charge of our country. He has no empathy for us, no understanding of the hurt his thoughtless rants and actions cause and no urge to mend his ways. Let's just pray that he doesn't get us into deep trouble in the remaining two and three quarter years remaining of his term
Charles M Blow and The New York Times, thank you for this New York Daily News-type article about The Donald and his sexual proclivity. I knew going into it what it would be about and like, but I read it anyway. I have no one to blame but myself.
3
Great column until the first sentence of the last paragraph: "America, this is not about partisanship." It's not America you need to address your argument to, Charles, it's the morally bankrupt evangelicals who support a reprehensible leader in the name of Christ.
Melania, like Saul, stands guard over the clothes of the mob as it stones Saint Stephen, but will she experience a conversion like Paul on the road to Damascus? It may be the only thing that will bring at least a good portion of the mob to its senses.
1
Mr. Blow, Melania knew about the man she was going to marry but did it anyway. Like Melania, the American people who voted for this man knew who and what he was but didn’t care and cast their ballots for him. The Christian evangelicals know what manner of man the 45th is, yet forgive him his trespasses. Being a Republican covers a multitude of faults.
Yes, Melania knew but remains by his side. She is a trophy wife who competes with former spouses and call girls and stands by a man who deserves no loyalty and openly disrespects her. Only Melania knows if her public abasement was worth it all.
women really matter..... and we should not worry much about trump's infidelity
When Melania leaves him, that will signal his end. I don't think she will, though, because I believe they are in a completely financial arrangement - that is their marriage. Trump will take care of Melania, be her benefactor, in return for her being the trophy wife. Each, I am sure, is allowed to do as they please with whomever they may meet, grabbing between the legs, obviously included.
And yet on Saturday night, three girls sat behind him, waving signs and screaming their beautiful heads off in adulation. Comic book heroes can do no wrong.
“Yes, Melania knew what she was getting. So did we. Americans listened to his lies and nodded their heads so vigorously that the rattle was heard from coast to coast.”
And so did the people who voted for him.
1
Time for all those other victims of The Donald to GO PUBLIC. As long as this creature is allowed to carry on in this despicable manner, so too, will the rest of his generation carry on and on and on. Then rich, and I mean very rich, younger men wil believe they, too, can buy off anyone.
Do money and GREED rule everywhere?
Can anyone locate ethics an honesty?
Where?
The South Pole?
What matters to me is that she is a terrible role model for "our" daughters and sons.
1
How could she not know?
As you say, though, not really anybody's business what goes on inside someone else's marriage, and this one is unfathomable anyway.
A bigger question, though, might be the definition of the role of First Lady. She's (given that we haven't had any men in that position yet) unelected; but she needs to have a staff. Whether she engages in any public activity, including serving as an official hostess, is largely a matter of individual decision; yet she'll be criticized if she doesn't and often when she does.
She's unsalaried, so her position could be the most influential, visible volunteer job in the nation. Or not, witness Melania.
Unless the role of First Lady comes with a job description, we're kind of stuck with what we get. And oh, yes, paying for it too.
Melania most definitely “knew” what she was signing up for when she became involved in Trump’s world. And married to him, she assuredly “knew” he was sexually active outside of their marriage. One only has to see how she has disappeared into the background, not saying anything, no White House functions, not holding his extended hand, sleeping in separate bedrooms, not supporting him at rallies. When the current school year ends she’ll most likely will return to New York with Barron, leaving her sad-sack husband to fend for himself. She “knows” the art of the deal.
1
Melania likely lied on her application for her Einstein Visa. Trump was her "Iago" for that one. I suspect that he convinced her that she would soon be deported if she did not "get on with it." That the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated in 2000 "featured"" Melania is an outright lie. (Her's is a very tiny "snapshot" in the back of the issue along with 300 other women who lost out. Trump was unable to successfully bully the editor into "featuring" Melania on the cover. Melania simply did not cut it. Trump, of course, had a temper tantrum day in and day out about it. That is when he "bombarded" Dylan Jones, the editor of GQ in Britain. To stop the merciless number of calls from Trump, Dylan Jones finally agreed to feature Melania on the cover. She is seen inside the issue pointing a gun, and chained with a beefcake to Trump's plane. Hardly the stuff of a 'Top Model" portfolio. In addition, she never finished a single course in University. Not in Slovenia, nor anyplace else.
My impression is that Melania would do anything to stay in the US. She agreed to a lie on her Visa application. That way, her parents and her sister (Ines Knauss) would come to America as part of Melania's Einstein Visa privilege. It is known as Chain Migration. Most women know that Melania has paid an unimaginable price for her "freedom." Her gilded cage is that of a prison. Her misery, and that of her young son is painfully apparent.
Thank God for her Chain Migration, which is a pitiful irony.
5
"briefcase, not "beefcake." Kindly excuse the error. Thank you.
3
Yes, not only did Melania know what kind of man Trump was, but so did all of the people who voted for him. But unlike Democrats who are to busy fighting with each other over tiny ideological purity tests, the Republicans and Evangelicals know how to keep their eyes on the prize, and that is decreasing taxes on the wealthy and getting Supreme Court justices that will vote pro-corporation and pro-Evangelical Christian. They have succeeded in the first task and in the next three years will succeed in the second.
1
The real question is not why Melania stayed or what she knew. The real question is why the enablers (the Paul Ryans’ of the world) stayed, knowingly what kind of man he was.
4
I don't know how many times I have heard the lie America is a country of laws. When Antonin Scalia was made an associate justice of the Supreme Court America as a country of laws ceased to exist. A Supreme court of four jurists and five Republican Lawyers representing wealth and power is not exactly a court of justice.
Donald J Trump is what the USA has become. It is late 18th century France where a wealthy and powerful autocracy rules above the mob.
When Trump said he could go out on Fifth Avenue and shoot people and not be prosecuted he was not making a joke.
Trump is not the problem. Jefferson warned about about putting financial power above the People. It happened before Trump. Trump is correct, he understands the system like nobody else.
3
Of course Melania Knew. Just like America Knew.
1
Bravo, Charles Blow. And thank you.
1
Who cares about Melania. She knew she was marrying one of the sleaziest humans alive. In return she got access to gazillions of dollars. Any humiliation heaped upon her she deserves. She sold out for the money.
3
According to Trump, after a woman turns 35, it's "checkout time." So Melania and Donald must really love each other!! It's a bit hard to tell through all the botox and fillers, but you can just see how much Melania adores him. Or maybe Melania knows where the bodies are buried, and "checkout time" is going to come with a big fat check when she finally divorces her odious husband.This time Michael Cohen's home equity line will hard pressed to cover that kind of hush money.
2
I'm just pleased with this because it shows just how pathetic conservative Christians are with their lies and hypocrisy.
6
I’m thinking that an even more relevant title for this op-ed is “America Knew,” alas.
4
Q. Why do the Christians look the other way?
A. They’re only Christian on Sunday. They’re opportunists the other six days.
2
Agreed. BTW, it's Baron, not Bannon. (lol)
Mr. Blow is clearly running out of gas. How can he make it to 2020?
1
Melania knew, Little Donnie knew, Ivana Marie knew, Eric knew.
They all knew, and they don't care. It's who they are. Get used to it.
Oh, and Tiffany and Barron know, too.
1
the only logical conclusion is that Melania is a Russian agent. Elizabeth Jennings, anyone?
She's no victim. She's caught in a cesspool of her own making. The humiliation to which she's subjected, comes from her husband...her chosen one... the man who was cheating on his second wife,with her.
2
It's true Mr. Blow. You really don't know anything about their arrangement, financial or emotional. I don't either. Yet, like so many men, you seem to take pleasure in spreading a story based on your assumption on the kind of woman she is.
It's time for you to look at your own male privilege.
5
No matter that she knew what she was stepping into, I see a mentally abused wife who has to remain silent and rigid for her own survival and that of her son. She is brilliant, speaks six languages and could be an enormous asset to this country if she wasn't chained to the worst excuse for a human. Nineteen women, ok, but none have had to live day in and day out with a narcissistic, paranoid tormentor who constantly boils over and is clearly losing his grasp as he ages.
2
I suspect that her main concern may be for her son; that he is learning about all this sordid business involving his father. That it's so public. I dont think any mother would want her child to go through that. Of course, when you marry trump, you have to expect the worst, As for herself, she is probably only upset that all this went public. I doubt that she cares personally what trump does. Do you blame her?
So many act as though America voted for Trump. We did not.
He didn't get the majority. He won through a fluke of the electoral college.
And many of 'his' voters were people who did not like Trump - but for their own reasons - religious leaders telling them they must vote about abortion only, their own dislike of a woman as a leader, belief in lies spread by a great many sites and spread and encouraged by Russians looking to weaken our future President Clinton, etc. voted against Clinton.
Trump has his followers who are happy to turn a blind eye. But they are not most nor even close to most, even among those who voted for him.
2
Melania may have cut her deal with Donald long ago.
Wealth, along with the security it brings, may have ranked among her top priorities. (And maybe somehow she imagined she would be different from the rest -- more special, more genuinely loved, and therefore treated better.)
Who knows?
And who really cares?
Unfortunately, what Melania also represents is tremendous, yet wasted, opportunity. Few people ever have the chance to be First Lady of the United States. Yet she does ZERO with the opportunity... makes no discernible effort to stand up for anything significant (whatever it may be)... to provide a role model for younger women + girls... or make some other sort of positive difference in this world. Hard to know for sure, but presumably there are at least a few worthy causes that her husband wouldn't oppose?
4
The voices of women and their male allies will bury trump under the mass of lies that he is. It is happening now.
Mr. Blow, you summarized the article with "America, this is not about partisanship; this is about principle." I agree, and this is not just about defending women and their stories. This is about everything that has gone awry since Trump was elected. This is about a complete loss of the values and norms that hold a "civilized" society together. This is about the loss of integrity, honesty, compassion, values, kindness, truth, caring, decency, respect for others, and on and on. The reason that Trump gets away with his deplorable behavior is that he just doesn't care. He doesn't care what Congress thinks and he doesn't care what anyone who is not part of his complicit base thinks. The values and norms that keep most people from behaving in a socially irresponsible way don't seem to apply to him. This is what makes him dangerous...he doesn't care if he lies to the public, he doesn't care that our allies are disgusted with what he has done to the United States. He lives strictly for his own ego. Our democracy is fragile. The rapid rate at which Trump is eroding our democratic institutions and the media is frightening. Living in a Democracy is hard work! You have to vote, you have to exercise your rights, you have to think for yourself and take responsibility for your decisions...but at least you are free to do that. Trump knows that a lot of people are lazy and don't want to take responsibility to make choices...and he is playing on that. Please VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
4
The type of people--both men and women--who support the guy in the White House have no interest in propriety, honor and character. It's of little concern until it infects and attempts to dominate American society. We have other sub-cultures, of course; greed, violence, corruption come to mind. But the attempt to call these traits to their attention is an exercise in futility. I'm afraid you're just preaching to the choir, as the saying goes.
3
The ethical and moral character of Trump have been front and center his entire adult life. Heck, he wears it as a badge of honor and displays it at every opportunity. Writ large perhaps as one insensitive and crude Twitter leads to another. He's a weak man and his weakness is displayed as misplaced bravado at every turn. He's a bright and shining example of the level of confusion and lack of discernment of 62 million voters.
1
Why Charles is so bothered about Trump's behavior and Melania. His misbehavior happened long time ago before he ran for President and it was discussed thoroughly during the election. He defeated a candidate whose husband had worse behavior problems before and during the presidency, and that candidate vehemently defended him and tried to discredit the accusers. I never heard Charles ridiculing or criticizing the Clintons. In fact he vehemently protested against Republicans for critiquing Clintons. I don't know what he is trying to achieve by saying that "Melania knew".
1
You don't marry a man like Trump without knowing. I'm certain it amounts to "do whatever you want but be discreet and don't embarrass me." When it was clear he didn't respect this agreement a "friend" of Melania suddenly ended up with 26 million dollars from the inaugural slush fund. The friends share was reportedly 1.6 million. Just what does anyone think happened to the other 24.4 million? It went to Melania as payment for her public embarrassment I suspect.
1
I so agree, Mr. Blow. Thanks for this piece. This blog post ponders some of the same themes: https://gendershrapnel.org/2017/11/22/trump-must-go-and-take-thomas-with....
1
What Melania knew or not and why she chooses to stay knowing what she certainly knows now is scarcely worth the words devoted here.
But if ever there was an indication that the sun is setting on America, it was the election to the highest office in the land of one whose deficiencies as a human being were so readily apparent to all. As world governments increasingly shift away from liberal democracies to right-wing, xenophobic quasi dictatorships, we, in our selection of a would-be dictator as president, have forfeited any chance to counter that trend.
3
I believe Randy Newman put it quite succinctly some years ago when he wrote the song “It’s Money that Matters (in the USA)”.
Anything else is just wishful thinking....
2
It doesn't take a mind reader, just a human mind, to know that of course Melania was aware she'd be one of a rotation, unless she is literally as dumb as a stone. I suppose that's possible, based on a few public speaking engagements, but I'm guessing not quite enough to render her unable to play the game. She wouldn't have the power to demand terms for the rollout of episodes, but she's a winner! She has exactly what she aimed to accomplish. And, bonus assuming she cares, her child will be fine as well.
1
When people make wealth their objective, do they find happiness and contentment? Ask Melania if she has found happiness and contentment?
2
Baron didn't know what he was getting. He is the only one I feel sorry for.
Junior, Eric and Ivanka know what they are dealing with but the lure of money says tons about them too. Tiffany--I reserve judgment until she graduates from Penn.
The apple appears to never fall off the tree in this family.
2
I’m reminded of the words of Huey Long of Louisiana (look him up in Wikipedia), “the only way I won’t get re-elected is if I’m caught in bed with a live boy or a dead girl”. With Trump it require both to persuade his loyalists that morality matters.
6
Huey, was a character all right, but he's not the La. governor who said that quote. You could look it up!
1
It is extremely ironic that Mr. Trump is finding himself outflanked at every turn by a woman. Trump is epitome of everything detestable in a man. Ms. Clifford, not exactly every parent's dream of a daughter, is very much his match. And given the current state of the Republican Party, Ms. Clifford could run for high office and win. Bigly. She would only need to establish residence in a red state and throw her hat in the ring for a senate seat. Alabama? Would be a sure win for her.
3
64% of non-college educated white women and 45% (almost half!) of college-educated white women voted for Trump. They, and we, get what we deserve.
5
Character counts. Principles are priceless. "Out of the overflow of your heart, your mouth speaks." What is it going to take for the Republican Congress folk and Trump voters to say "enough is enough"? Are they really so "soul sick" they cannot see? This continual spiraling downward of public discourse, vulgarity, and demeaning and demonizing of opponents, including as Charles so well points out, the whole female gender, has to stop. Our children and grandchildren are watching, especially our girls. Our "so-called" president is cowering in the cesspool of his own making. This is who he is. Why would you want this person to represent your country or to have any power to influence the world for more evil? The day of reckoning is coming. Justice will be served. Truth will be brought to light and there will be an accounting.
1
So, what else does Melanie know? A friend has suggested that Tom Steyer switch from paying for ads to impeach the president to buying out Melanie's prenuptial agreement so she can be rid of him and turn state's evidence. Wouldn't that be fun?
3
It surprises me that no one seems to care about Trump's behavior, only if it's LEGAL. My god, this is a man who is supposed to be a role model, a man of character, a moral leader, a man with a soul, a man who demands "loyalty." He is absolutely none-of-the-above. Of course it matters if he behaves like a cave man. The legal machinations aside, America is is deep trouble if we will put up with such sub-human behavior. By the way, he treats ANYONE (male female, black, white, brown, red, anyone) who doesn't bend the knee of fealty to his disgusting persona as an object, not as a fellow human being. Wake up people and demand better.
6
As one of the most liberal commentators at the NYTimes you actually indirectly touched on one of the issues the NYTimes will not dare cover re this issue.
The enabling co dependent woman. (and others too).
Sexual harassment has been illegal since circa App. 1980. Countless women have sued, started grievances etc and won. I know, I saw many in the corporation I worked for.
With the exception of a minor or an immigrant woman who does not know the law, there is no excuse now not to do something about sexual harassment.
The enablers range from people who wait many yrs. to complain (Anita Hlll), women who complain only when the pay raises, roles stop, women/groups like M. Streep, Hillary, Melania and NOW who protect predators like Weinstein because he contributes to liberal causes or is making money off of them and many more.
The only thing as worse as a predator is a co dependent enabler, yes, many of them women.
Predators live for them. Without them they cannot survive.
2
She had to marry him. It was God's will so that his "flawed vessel" could ascend to power and fulfill the prophecies. Let's give the poor woman a break; she had no choice in the matter.
Seriously what a sad story and how sad so many condone this charade.
Can our Republic be saved in 2020 or will we have to endure until 2024?
Please register to vote and then vote!?
Remember the 18-25 year old voter is one of the key elements in this election.
3
Well-said as always, Charles Blow. But those of us who point out flaws (to be understated about it) in this man forget that they simply don't matter to the vast majority of white men in this country. The flaws are seen and overlooked or forgiven because of the open, virulent racism that this man espouses and promotes.
2
Yes to your final point but what was the premise? Melania knew? So what? She is not to blame for this mess. Trump himself and his apparently blind and brainwashed supporters are! The choices women make in these situations, when they don't hold the same power as their skevie husbands gives her that pass. No, I certainly do not approve of women who see themselves as less-than and don't seem to realize that standing up, speaking out and walking away empowers them but this is what we are raised to be and most of us are ill equipped to take those bold steps. Please do not jump on the bandwagon of blaming the woman. Hillary was to blame for her husband's philandering and her choices after as well. When is this going to end? It will end when we are no longer blamed for the ills in society that are do to males' sense of entitlement and the chaos that follows!
1
And this is the guy who declared that no one respects women more than he, right!
Trump is such a classless person, he would not even know what that would look like.
He appreciates women insofar as they are tending to him (Ivanka, Sarah, Kellyanne) or objects of his lust (endless list).
When Megyn Kelley asked him about his own poor record with women, Trump denied known history and then added to his sexist insults by saying she had blood coming out of her wherever.
Trump used Hillary Clinton's gender against her, asking some fellas, "She doesn't look presidential, does she?" Not subtle.
His defense against his own accusers was that they weren't attractive enough for him.
The only individual for whom Trump cares is himself. Women, to him, can be arm pieces, sexual partners, assistants and supporters, but he will never regard them with inherent dignity.
4
There are five people in this country who could quickly end this country’s nightmare suffering under Trump.
They are Ivanka, Melania, Jared, Hope Hicks and Stormy Daniels.
Were they to hold a joint press conference tomorrow on the White House lawn, Mike Pence would be President by the weekend
After which, good luck to you and me.
5
Imagine if China's president Xi, who has an attractive wife - a well-known singer, engages in the same behaviors like Trump, he would be granted the "no term limit" constitutional amendment. How can Americans keep such a morally corrupted person on the "throne"?
"How can Americans keep such a morally corrupted person on the "throne"?"
Once again, that darn Constitution keeps getting in the way.
1
So far I see Comments from two (2) unverifieds in this list of Comments. Maybe I will be the third or beyond. The NYTIMES has eatblished its own caste system just like all the men that are being talked about in this entire, Clinton, Weinstein, Trump era of which we are speaking.
The same players are playing.
The only difference this time is that we have stronger representation from the Adult Film Entertainment Industry sector. We also see how really good gold tournaments work. I only wish I had brought in the "dancing girls" concept to the Tournament which I sponsored back many years ago. It would have been more successful.
The operative sentence here is that: Trump has almost singlehandly aided in the numbing of America's sympathies for and about the sexual exploits, misdeeds. . . . Indeed the market is overloaded now with MeTooers, Time's Uppers and various and sundry women and men coming out of the woodwork to jump on these various men and on these various movements against the treatment merited out by these men. It may not be that the ladies and gents protest too much, but that America has a very short and easily numbable mind and memory. Some claim that "We will not forget." But we forget all too readily, quickly and easily. We have already forgotten The Winter Olympics participants.
2
Yes, the man who proudly supports racists and treats women as objects only for his own uses is despicable. But the frightening thing is that so many white men think he is their voice, their chance to get even for burdens imposed by being "politically correct" - i.e. for having to respect people who are different and recognize that awarding jobs based on merit means they will have to forfeit their traditional privileged position. This clinging to lost privileges we can understand while we reject it, but I will never understand why any woman or person of color would vote for him. Ever. For any reason.
2
The one I feel sorry for is poor Barron. How much is he bothered by or ashamed of what he hears and sees?
What kind of man is he going to grow up to be like? Like his father? Like his brothers?
4
I didn't finish reading this piece because I think it steps over the line of political commentary. Melania Trump may be First Lady but she wasn't elected. Her relationship to and with the president is her business, however sordid it may be and better left not addressed in print. It borders on prurience.
133
Sadly, some are outraged at stories that "step over the line' but are never outraged by a President and his family that has made their life's work - collectively - stepping over the line.
26
It’s too bad you didn’t finish the piece. This final paragraph is what you missed. Tell us how this crosses the line of appropriate political commentary:
“America, this is not about partisanship; this is about principle. Each of us must proclaim that this situation is over the line, that women matter, that their voices and their stories matter, that propriety, honor and character matter.”
24
Had you finished reading the piece, you would have found that it does not border on prurience, but rather that the columnist makes a good point about Trump's, and society's, disregard for women. THAT is the point of the article.
23
You're preaching to dead ears. The men who are most like trump applaud his audacity and find a role model in every in-your-face lying denial. He is their hero, and they are our legislators; congressmen and senators. Do we think that the most powerful elected officials are in it for the good of the country? Do the names McConnell or Ryan strike a chord? Maybe not adulterers (maybe not), but opportunists and hypocrites to a level that makes disgust flavorful.
The trump effect is a new standard as to how low some powerful men can go and not only get away with it but reap praise in the process. Of the ~60 million friends, neighbors and relatives still trump cheerleaders, at least half are men ready to offer up trump someone else's wife. If that time ever comes they may be in for a surprise.
2
What Melania knew or didn't know is irrelevant. But those of you who think that Trump is is just the right person for the job, I've got two questions for you:
1) Would you buy a used car from this man?
2) Knowing what you know about him, would you want your daughter to marry him?
4
We have been facing growing outrage and disgust at Trump's well-documented vile personal behavior for more than a year now. There are hardly words to express our national furious anger at this utter reprobate. Captains of industry, movie stars, legislators and public officials are being thrown out of their positions by the dozens for far less egregious behavior, but inexplicably Trump remains.
His hypocritical enablers are to blame, since Trump is obviously beyond shame or remorse.
The majority of White women voters (52%) voted for Trump. Judging from the polls, inexplicably, they would vote for him again!!
Of course white male voters approved of Trump's actions or excused or dismissed them. Boys will be boys!
The majority of "moral" evangelicals voted for Trump!
He is protected by ultra-Christians, Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Ted Cruz.
GOP party leaders, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell protect him at every turn.
This is a nightmare that will live in infamy forever, and a sizable proportion of Americans are complicit.
I only hope that voters shake the shingles from their eyes and realize that their support for Trump is destroying the presidency and our nation.
It starts next Tuesday in Pennsylvania and hopefully continues in November.
Democrats have big faults, but this is an emergency that transcends partisan politics. Our country is dying under this irresponsible tyrant.
Wake up, America. Save yourselves.! Reject Republicans
3
Denial in the face of overwhelming evidence is a character flaw that Trump admires above all.
“Scandals run on shame. Trump is completely exempt from any shame. So we just score-keep.” -- Mike Murphy, Republican strategist
2
Truth be told what Melania knew, when she knew, and what she did or does about it is irrelevant. Why? Because Melania is irrelevant. She has positioned herself to be separate and apart from the conversation. Where other FLOTUS's take on special projects, are seen in public doing things ( visiting schools, hospitals, cutting ribbons, planting organic gardens on the lawn, traveling to distant shores, visiting veterans in rehab etc.,) Melania does none of those things. She is, in effect, invisible. It's as if she doesn't really exist. The fact Trump married a beauty queen, bore a child with her, and played around on the side is between him and her. Yes, it reflects one of the more tawdry chapters in American history...but..so be it. He is still among other things, the worst POTUS we have ever had. This just adds to the pile.
2
"I contend that we on the outside never really know what understandings may exist in a marriage, unless the two parties within reveal it."
OK.
So, by reading tea leaves about the Trumps relationship, how does a columnist establish that the president "almost single-handedly aided in the numbing of America's sympathies for women who speak up about the sexual exploits, misdeeds and assaults of [sic] elected officials"?
I don't know much about pornography, but I know when it's pretending to be journalism.
2
Trump is far more persistent in his denials of the accusations of the 19 women than the Times is in its coverage. The progress or lack thereof has long vanished not just from the front page, but except for the occasional mention, from any page of the Times (or is that just the new normal in journalism). Trump knows that not even the Times will stay on it, though it’s the
President setting such a despicable example for millions of our children. And each day that this lack of persistence continues, the Times becomes one of Trump’s enablers.
3
Who knows why Melania feels compelled to stay and endure the personal humiliation that appears endless, given the ongoing revelations? Maybe she believes in mulligans too.
As far as Stormy goes, I hope she keeps talking. What’s going to happen if she does? Michael Cohen will threaten, Sarah Sanders will deny and Donald will stay mum, that’s what—same circus, same clowns.. She’s got then all by the proverbial you know what. When you’re a star, they let you do it.
2
What is point of this piece? More woman-blaming? Sorry, but she is not responsible for his outrageous behavior.
1
Melania wanted to stay in the US and she wanted to have a child. (The Times seldom allows a day to go by that they don't profile some woman from Central America who wants exactly the same thing, and who is willing to break our laws to get what she wants.)
Melania might have struck a better bargain among the rich men she associated with at that party (and elsewhere) than the one she did, or we might think she could have, but this is the bargain she struck. She knew perfectly well what the downsides were likely to be, just as the Central American illegals so admired by the Times knew what they were getting into. Melania probably took the age difference into account, and decided that Trump was likely to die a long time before she would, at which point she would be fixed for life financially. And she has the child she wanted.
All this is not admirable, particularly, though notice Melania did not break any laws. But it is perfectly understandable. Since the election she has adopted a low profile; she is not, for example, running all over the place dictating what food American children should eat for lunch.
Personally I'd rather be married to someone less rich but with other more attractive qualities. She may now feel the same, it's impossible to tell, but she is sticking with the bargain she made and mostly staying out of our way.
1
Melania from the outset knew and continues to know the kind of game that she willingly became a part. She is no innocent “babe” in the woods. She appears at a party where she meets Trump. She was invited to be part of the “window dressing” where there is little respect for woman by the men attending.
2
The media and liberals laughed at Mike Pence because he said he would not have dinner with a woman without his wife being present. Joy Behar made fun of Mike Pence and his sincerely deep religious faith. Who is laughing now?
Maybe we should try to return to more traditional family values when these values were revered and not mocked. Infidelity does not benefit anyone but only destroys society and its victims. The liberals will ridicule those who promote this but they are part of the problem. Just take a look at our movies and television content and see what they portray. They certainly do not admire a solid family lifestyle. Is it any wonder we are seeing a deterioration of family life? Let's at least try to respect and emulate a good family structure. Our spouses and children will thank us and we will be a better nation for this. Let's start now.
1
Which traditional values? Plantation owners impregnating enslaved women for sex and profit while they pretend to be aristocrats? No divorce so women and kids are tied forever to abusers? American history has all kinds of examples of 'traditional values' that might not be 100% wholesome like the folks in backcountry So. Carolina before the revolution who drove poor Mr Woodmason's Anglican mind crazy with their sexy outrageous ways. Looks like 'home' in the sense you probably mean was only a value in Victorian America and only for people who could afford it because they didnt have to have a working wife and working kids to get by. The strong drive for temperance and Prohibition indicates just how terrible traditional marriage could be for the wife and kids.
The really awful thing about all of this is that the evangelists, particularly those of southern Baptist and pentecostal persuasion are directing their followers to support this awful man to the extent that he has now reached the highest office in the land. Their belief in Jesus as God is so weak that they have to use a man that totally lacks good character to achieve their ends. They have
sowed the wind and will reap the whirlwind...
2
Always a chuckle when the Left starts quoting Jesus.
1
Oh really? You folks have some sort of inside track or proprietary rights on evoking the name of Jesus?
Read today's article in the Atlantic "The Last Temptation" by GOP Evangelical Michael Gerson and you will be able to trace back this attitude 100 years. It did not serve you well then, and surely will not do so now either.
Who cares? The Trump’s marriage seems to be more transactional than most marriages, but lots of women have remained married to hound dogs. Maybe the difference is discretion. Neither Clinton nor Kennedy publicly bragged about their conquests.
2
The Russians knew as well. They, in all likelihood, have kompromat warm and ready to go to press when it's most confounding for Mr. Trump --a play boy yes, but most certainly also a puppet.
4
The important thing about Donald Trump is that he doesn't respect anyone.
He didn't respect Stormy Daniels and it's obvious he didn't respect any of his 3 wives, who were more like attractive accessories than people. His grotesque treatment of his wives - like his eager & vicious tabloid humiliation of Ivana Trump during their divorce - indicates he not only did not respect his young children but felt no responsibility to protect them from that humiliation and public slaughtering of their parents marriage when they were very young. That's probably the most disgusting thing about him - his complete disdain for the people closest to him.
He didn't respect the hundreds of people he hired to work for him who he never bothered to pay, forcing some of them to lose their livelihood. He didn't respect his stockholders. Why should he when he's always only been out for himself?
He doesn't respect the people who work in his administration. We've watched his public trashing of Rex Tillerson and Jeff Sessions and heard that John Kelly said that in his long career, no one had ever spoken to his as abusively as Trump has.
He doesn't respect the people who voted for him - whom he appears to regard as pawns and fools - and lies to them constantly.
He doesn't respect the people of this country, whom he views as lowly stupid peons who are spectators to his ongoing reality tv show life.
Most of all, he doesn't respect the truth. He probably doesn't even know what the truth is.
4
We can only hope that, come November, women voters will turn out en masse to do to Trump's GOP lackeys and enablers what they'd do to their own husbands in a NY minute if they behaved like Trump or his cronies.
3
Not anything to disagree with in Charles Blow's column. Trump has been a predator throughout his adult life. But is it not time to speak about him in the same terms he speaks about women: LOOK AT HIM! Why would any woman choose to have sex with him, no less marry him, if there was not a quid pro quo?
4
If the news media cannot shake up the president with all the weapons they can get, it will not be useful or helpful to demote the first lady. Leave her alone with the kid.
2
Trump keeps shooting people on Fifth Avenue, and the 20% of Americans (do the math; it will make you cry) who voted for him will vote for him again. The frightening thing is what he's doing while we're all arguing about what a wretch he he. Like borrowing $1.5 trillion to put into the bank accounts of the rich. Like putting his family in government positions. Like not filling key government jobs.
2
It does appear that the Evangelical segments of the country, along with Republicans in general, have given this Master of Misogyny special dispensation.
Of course it must also be recognized that he often treats men as poorly as women, so I guess that would make him an equal opportunity abuser.
As for Melania, she made her bed, as they say, and now she has to live in it until such a time as the Donald gets board and moves on.
2
Is there anything remotely admirable about this man? So far, I haven't read, seen,heard anything that would get my vote. In addition to all his boasting, his peccadilloes, his hair-do, it is his ignorance that really makes him dangerous. Too bad that money is equated with virtue.
1
We all know, including those who voted for him, what he is. He will never change. Every day brings more evidence to the forefront. The so called Evangelicals that adore him, and forgive all his faults, have to rank among the biggest hypocrites of the ages. They have even abandoned their devotion to Christ in favor of a true pagan.
While we all, here, rant about his vileness and worry about his effect on our collective lives, the GOP congress continues to enable him in big ways. McConnell appears as another hypocrite for the ages. His history of comments regarding Bill Clinton's sins vs his lack of same for Trump's more egregious sins places him as our Chief Hypocrite. Ryan is a close second given his devotion to Trump.
I remain an optimist that American will continue to wake up as we move closer to November.
Please, sir, don't insult pagans. Pagans are spiritual people who revere the earth and try to treat others with respect.
3
Trump needed a wife for business and political reasons. Melania is a Trump employee with a contract. She knew what she was getting I to when she married him. Like any woman with a bad boss she’s stuck because she has a kid, needs the money and can’t just walk away.
7
It is this abject lack of character that makes absurd the support this individual receives from professing believers in religious principles and makes even avowed secularist plutocrats with any morals left cringe. The prevailing view among these seems a reversion to "He may be a creep but he's our creep."
1
Dear Mr. Blow, this is not news. I think most women in this country understood that Melania knew what she was getting… Untold millions in offshore accounts that she can control and the same amounts in trust for the child. She sold herself for what was important to her. Most of us could not agree with that but She got what she wanted: more power to her!
1
Haven't we already made a collective decision that it doesn't matter? Aren't we sitting idly while the president demeans the office he was elected to every single day with boorish, sexist, insulting behavior and words toward anyone and everyone? We have elected officials who are supposed to provide some constraints on presidential behavior and they are silent. We have religious leaders who could try to shame the man into less vulgar vocabulary and the worst of his attacks on people, but they are silent and protective. Everyone you would expect to offer some resistance, some correction, is bullied into silence, assuming they would become the next target. This is what America has become, a nation of moral cowards.
1
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” was one of the ten commandant violations we already checked off, so nothing new here.
What exam what exactly is Mr Blow’s point here?
Trump was a well know playboy for 40+ years in public life. That he dallied with playmates, , porn stars, celebs, and hookers was kind of baked into the cake in the election. That he was and is being shaken down by one of these women (Stormy Daniels) after a consensual relationship is not particularly noteworthy, surprising, or interestingly. He’s not a great role model, we get it. With all that being known, he STILL managed to beat Hillary Clinton straight up and has had a fairly successful tenure in office when you consider his legislative, judicial appointments, and regulatory reform agendas.
There’s this false equivalence of Trump’s off the record braggadocio to Billy Bush a decade prior to running for office from the disgusting sexual depravaties that followed JFK and Bill Clinton into the White House. There is still nothing attributed to Trump to rival his predecessors, and the fact that the grab bag of claims against Trump are both unsubstantiated and of the awkward but not criminal variety should not be overlooked in context.
24/7 of manufactured outrage by MSNBC, etc... over Trump’s behavior 10-20 years ago is just pathetic partisan red meat at this point
1
Baloney. Trump self-confessed to forcing himself on women, and that he felt entitled. Had this been Obama, Republicans would have initiated impeachment hearings, as they did for Bill Clinton. Look how they treated Hillary. But you people are offended by reading "Melania Knew."
Trump is a prolific liar--over 2000 lies in his first year alone. A liar and a cheat. Trump's campaign fraud is serious. The Stormy Daniels story is one of deceit, fraud and very serious campaign finance violations.
Bill Clinton did not pay women off in secret violations of campaign finance. He was never convicted in a court of law of assaulting the 3 women Trump dragged to the debate in Oct. 2016. Trump even had a complaint from a 13 year old---with a witness to the allegation.
1
Sorry but a porn star shaking down a US President in real time is newsworthy in most circles.
The 24/7 world of media is and has been around a while now. That Trump is so susceptible to being in the middle of it has been his trademark - but it does seem to be blowing up in his face.
1
This is not about Melania, at worst she is an opportunist. This it is about a man who has little to no principles who happens to be president. The end of this op-ed, Mr. Blow states that we must proclaim that women matter. This president does not have the ability to proclaim anything like that. His goal is his brand. He will say or do anything he chooses to win. Nothing else matters....especially not women.
2
The American people knew!!
... and still people voted for him. I was even more depressed to watch on the news about his spectacle this weekend in Pittsburgh. He is being his usual super NASTY self and the people behind him are cheering him up .... some of those people appeared to be young women... what does that say about our nation? ... I truly pray we can recover after this presidency....
1
Mr Blow you must be very happy as a distinguished writer to get into Trump's past and putting out the absolute worst perception of it. Taking the word of Daniels over Trump and reliving locker room talk by Trump like many deny boys talk like that. Mr Blow in the world of global despair isn't there something more worthwhile to discuss than Trump's old affairs in casino's and real estate businesses?.
Millions of Americans had a consensual little romp in the voting booth with Trump and are still proud of it. They fawn over him and lust for more. They're eager to pay him for a repeat performance. I'd say Melania and Clifford are getting a much better deal than the average Trump voter.
What's even worse than any of them are those who felt it was beneath their dignity to vote for Hillary.
2
I have a private fantasy that their pre-nup has Melania on a vesting schedule that culminates at the 15-year mark at which point she will be financially set. Thereby, she will be freed to divorce - which, due to her obvious contempt for her husband, seems plausible - and spill the beans on him. 15 years puts us in January of 2020, so she cuts bait and turns spokeswoman for the Biden/Warren 2020 campaign. Petty as it may be, this is the happy place to which I retreat when it all seems too grim.
2
I could care less about Melania and whatever accommodation she made when she married The Donald.
The Evangelical Christian support for Trump can be explained by their view of women. The desire to impose White Christian Sharia Law upon all American women is as dismissive and medieval as The Donald's. Women are assigned a subhuman class of citizenship whereby control of their self, mind and body, are taken away by the men. Women are told that they can not make decisions about their bodies (pregnancy) and therefore their lives. Medical treatment will be determined FOR them by the White Christian Males.
Women's voices are the least of it when they can't even control their own bodies.
So no wonder Trump is their champion grabber. For Trump and his ilk, this political correctness stuff is just too much. Bring back the good old days when women and people of color knew their place and were grateful for it.
3
She knew what kind of man she married ; she never thought she'd have to live out their transactional relationship on such a public stage.
1
Yes, well, at least Republicans have handed us liberals a club with which to swat away their incessant prurient church-lady-ism.
Do they realize what a gift they've given the left? Thumping their chests in outrage over alleged scandals, what will Republicans have left except stripping Americans of their healthcare and wishing for trickle down theory to be true.
The genie of official misbehavior is out of the bottle, come what may.
No one had any illusions about Trump
Decades of Page 6 stories and then the Access Hollywood video
Through that the white women of America spoke with 53% voting for Trump.
It seems unlikely that confirmation of what everyone more or less knew should change that vote
Hopefully those that did not vote will next time.
1
Scandals, crimes and allegations are nowadays processed by two almost entirely distinct Americas.
One America still has standards and principles — so Al Franken had to go.
The other America abandoned all standards and principles — by definition — in order to support an incoherent, bigoted, groping con man as our “leader”.
So there are no consequences — not for the sordid affairs and payouts, not for the outrageous attacks on the free press, not for the constant praise of murderous dictators, not for the many secret Russian meetings, the lies and coverup.
Our nation’s founders built us a remarkable system of checks and balances, but — as we’re painfully relearning — in order to work that system still requires its human operators to actually know and care about morals and ethics.
1
The thing is Trump is President and he is damaging our great nation every day in many ways.
Best case he will be an indelible stain on our country. Worst case.....
2
Both sorry figures representing the United States. Not my President or First Lady.
1
An old saying: “S/he who marries for money will earn every penny of it”. A lesson learned by all of Trumps wives I am sure.
1
And so did every other women in the country in 2016. And yet, 53% of white women still voted for Trump and even later, 65% of white women voted for Roy Moore in the senate election in Alabama. Seems like Melania is no different from the majority of white women in this country
1
A "unit" very much deserving each other.
2
Keep in mind that when Melania married Donald she had no idea that he would be President, casting her choice relentlessly in the public eye. He charmed enough people to become President, so why assume he didn't charm her too? He has charisma, I'll give him that. Look at how she dresses, fantastically, look at where she lives, the jets she flies around in, and the opportunities she has acquired for their son Her immigrant parents are here so she got some bennies for them.. Charles, I hate to say this , but you seem a bit prudish and naive. Of course she married him for his money and power! And for all you know he might be good in bed. And remember, John F. Kennedy even took a mistress on the campaign trail.
1
Dear Mr. Blow,
Somewhere under the endless avalanche of Trumpian turpitude lies the good of our nation, struggling to survive. Time to rescue. Time to dig our good out with picks and shovels and fire. Time to vote. We all know what’s right, we must now rise above self interest, and vote our collective soul. I believe we will. I hope it’s in time.
1
We're in a very intense period right now of examining how men view and treat women. One of the ways men hurt women is by making up stories about us, based on their fantasies of who we are, and spreading that story as fact.
Mr. Blow do you know what it feels like to have boys "talk about you?" Tell other boys what they "did to you" or what they wished they'd been able to do? Probably not because this is something that almost exclusively happens to women and girls. You'd probably be surprised at how much effect that kind of talk had on generations of women's self esteem. This article feels a lot like a man spreading stories about a woman based on his fantasy of what she is.
We, meaning you and I Mr. Blow, don't really have any idea of what kind of woman Melania is. Many women wonder if she's being held legal hostage in some way, in fear that she will lose access to her only child if she tries to leave the marriage. But we don't know.
Seriously, I'd be surprised if you're told often to "check your privilege," but I think you should look long and hard about the assumptions you've made here and consider your own male privilege.
2
Yep, Melania os NO victim. She is complicit to all of Trump’s schemes. The only thing in her favor is that while they robs us, she stays quiet. Is that because she knows her guy doesn’t like competition or just because she really is an uneducated person with nothing to say?
2
At this point in time, what I would like most is to read the Trump's prenup agreement. Melania is not stupid. She will probably take revenge, and is just waiting for the right moment.
1
Trump's election says all you need to know about Trump supporters and their view of women. They obviously see women as objects to be used and discarded just as their hero Donald Trump does.
2
Thou I am a Clinton supporter I cannot help but to see the double standard in this line of thinking... Melania Trump is as much a victim as anyone in this. and if not then why wasn't Hillary held to the same standard your holding Melana too? Instead of throwing wives under the bus shame the person actually treating the marriage wrong. She has been a faithful; wife why bash her with a piece like this. punish the bad spouse not the good one.
4
Please, leave Melania and Ivanka out of this. The manner with which they deal with their husband and father relative to his infidelities is and should remain a private matter. Judge them by their own words and deeds if you wish. But, do not judge them by the words and deeds of their husband and father, nor publicly shame them for choosing to deal in private with what is a private matter. If Bill Clinton's infidelities were something with which you believed Hillary and Chelsea should have been permitted to deal privately, extend the same courtesy to Melania and Ivanka.
4
principle has always been my key argument for why this man could not be voted for, much less trusted. But her emails and the other litany of pathetic excuses rained down and here we are. When will civility, honour, dignity and class finally return to this office? Certainly not while the current occupant resides there.
Sad.
2
I don’t understand why we’re so quick to dismiss how a man treats his spouse as private and irrelevant - especially a man in power. If he cheats on and disrespects his life partner - how in the heck do you suppose he’s treating you? Or in this case, our entire country.
4
This wily charismatic unprincipled president conned and seduced the most influential country in the world to electorally elect him despite his apparent vulgarities, deficiencies, and flaws. Thus, it's not hard to conclude he likewise bamboozling a 28 year old struggling model from Slovenia. Unfortunately, just like us and our country, she's also painfully paying the price.
4
I have never shed a tear for Melania. Their young son, Barron, on the other hand deserves better.
6
A lot of republicans vote republican no matter what. When I asked whyyyy and how could you even .... I was told they just voted for him to keep the Supreme Court justices republican. Period. They could have had anyone for a candidate. Of course they will lie to their friends who are democrat ..... and never admit to it..... and I'm sure they are gonna do it again next time...despite my attempts to reason.
4
Voting for the Supreme Court Justice wasn't just a Republican thing. It was also the reason we Democrats were told to hold our nose and vote for Clinton. It is the only reason she got a lot of the votes she did. I know, three million more or so, yada, yada.
2
People like Trump and Melania find one another because they are of similar character. Anyone who feels sympathy for her, knowing how this union born of greed and ambition came together, is either in denial or hopelessly naïve. This is truly a couple that deserves one another
7
No one should make the mistake of thinking women are the only people Trump disrespects, objectifies, and abuses. "Liddle Marco" was not just a cutting campaign put-down. It's clearly the way he feels about almost everyone, especially if they're nonwhite, poor, or from another country. Only someone with a pathological disregard for all human beings besides himself could have treated three wives the way Trump treated his.
3
Trump will lose support of women by the day. Any wife & mother can relate to how horribly Melania was treated, (although she likely gets less sympathy for putting up with it this long.)
Especially while appearing daily in ulta-expensive designer clothing and stilettos, which reminds many she likely married him any way despite his dubious history as a husband.
But the reason yet more women voters are now likely finding Trump deplorable is this:
Before Trump's scandalous Access Hollywood video’s release in 2016 that had him bragging about coming onto single and married women, a September Washington Post-ABC News poll found 66 % of women saying Trump is “biased against women and minorities,” compared with 53% of men.
That 13-point gap was larger than the 6-point gender gap in Trump’s overall vote support among registered voters in that same poll.
Right now Trump's popularity and polling remain very low for a second year president. The chaos husband who pays off women?
What other shoes will drop soon?
2
A sideshow for which Mr Trump, but more importantly Congress on both sides of the aisle, must be thankful.
Our politics has always been a scam, but it seems we will never get wise. We are lied to from birth by those who know the power of myth.
The reality with which most of us deal is shaped and packaged for consumption by fear and false promise.
Whatever Melania knew is what we all know. Men rule.
1
Maybe Melania was attracted to the alpha male perception. Maybe she takes it as part of what comes with the package. I would leave her out of it. Her description of Trump's boasts about sexual assualt as locker-room talk shows that she has no moral compass. Or is willing to hide it to support her husband.
Either way, she may be distorted, morally compromised, and choosing not to be a role model in the respectful treatment of her fellow human beings. He, by his position, is a role model. His immature approach to life--bullying, disrespect for women, his fact-free approach to policy and willingness to put the entire planet at risk based on hunches or the ranting of talk-show hosts--is not a model anyone should follow. He should be removed from that role.
3
I was not a fan of Melania Trump during the campaign. I felt from the beginning that she didn't want this role of First Lady, and when she stayed in Manhattan it angered me. It took me to that angry place where we heard Republicans rant and rave about how much taxpayer money the Obamas spent. Melania has surprised me with her grace and part of me has some empathy for her even though she knew. This has to be humiliating for her and for Barron. However she doesn't embarrass "us." Her husband on the other hand does, continually. His reaction to his multiple scandals, his treatment of Hillary Clinton at the debates especially; his defending of Roy Moore, and members of his own staff that has been abominable; all of that and more are an embarrassment. Our President has no principles and many of us have known this for years, those who don't seem to care? Shame on you.
4
This does not matter.
Nothing anyone can, nothing he can do say will endanger Trump's standing with the people who enable him. His wife is just another in that category.
She married a big, if unpleasant, pot of money. She had her anchor baby and got her citizenship. She got her parents fast tracked out of Romania and into luxury in Florida. She has managed to duck most typical First Lady duties, mostly because she has proven to be so incredibly bad at them, and stuck the taxpayers for $150 million in security costs so she could avoid Trump for an extra 5 months. She's got her own bedroom in the White House and couldn't care less where he sleeps or with whom, as long as it isn't her.
She is more than shrewd enough to see this situation for what it is - a vulnerability for Trump that she can monetize. As Trump becomes more dependent upon her making excuses and 'standing by' him, she has the opportunity to blackmail him for more support, perhaps to invalidate the prenuptual agreement, maybe to keep away from her and her child, or to deliver whatever she wants once his time in the White House is up.
I wish the country stood to come away from his "presidency" as smartly and beneficially as Melania Trump will.
8
Trump is basically my father with money. He has no moral compass there is no right or wrong only that which you can get away with. What others think or say has no meaning to him unless he is present then he'll attack. All around him must serve him and his needs or they are driven out. Any who begin to rise on their own while in his orbit with be attacked and destroyed.
He has a legal agreement with Melania who like millions of women before her, made a marriage deal to secure her future. We do not know the particulars of that deal but we can see why such deals have fallen out of favor.
If HRC had Mr Blow to open for her on the campaign she might have been able to focus on policy instead of name calling, she might even have thought to go to the norther tier states to campaign if she weren't busy focusing on El Trumpo.
1
I have shared this before - when Redd Foxx was in his 70's and married a 20 something showgirl, he was asked where he found her. Foxx replied, "I don't know. I just opened my wallet and there she was." THAT is Donald and Melania.
7
As many serious journalist have already noted, news has become entertainment. While the opinion page is not 'hard news' in the same way that the front page is, neither should it be a space for navel gazing.
Opinion writers are chosen for their ability to comment on news, public events, social issues and so forth. They have the time and space to probe, investigate and look beneath the headlines. But more often than not most opinion writers have become merely conduits for 'unarmed sources' mostly government sources repeating an uncritical, rarely challenged government line.
Even worse, they become what this column is, salacious entertainment. And Charles Blow is hardly alone. You can expect to see similar stories of Trump, Stormy Daniels and other 'actresses' as evening headlines. Supposedly we can't wait to hear what else she has to say about her affair with King Donald.
Meanwhile the real issues that affect or plague our lives get little mention from our political leaders and our free media remains unable or unwilling to confront them on this failure.
Instead we get more entertainment and await the next tweet from the chief entertainer, who happens to also be the president. This is a sad state of affairs and as we watch the editorial page of the NYTimes join in, it only gets sadder.
Blow's article makes an excellent point, but what is true of Melania is no less true of America. We knew, when we elected him. So when we feign shock and surprise at the next "worst yet" Trump scandal, we need to remind ourselves of how silly that response it. This is on us, just like it's on Melania.
2
All this may be true. However, why bring Melania into it? She is not in power.
Hillary was a elected Senator and then Secretary of State, but it never occurred to you question her this way? Trump is right about this hypocrisy in the media.
BTW, I am a Liberal(progressive) Democrat
1
One almost feels sorry for Melania, until you remember that she DID know. She also sang right along with his birther nonsense, and took advantage of his power to get her and her parents' visas. This is not your typical #metoo situation. I have no pity for this user. What I cannot understand, is how she stands to live with him. Ugh.
7
Gold/money appears as the most significant object of tangible pursuits.
But while money may govern who can do what and who governs whom, it has little influence over the ultimate behavior and future of society.
When the Parthians defeated Crassus, the wealthiest man in history, they kept their promise in a deal. They satisfied his thirst for gold and his desire for acclaim by pouring molten gold down his throat and used his severed head as a stage prop in a play.
Those who hold Gold might govern those who don't don't hold it, but what governs those who have only gold?
Our faith and the institution of religion, as best that we understand it shapes and guides our collective motivation.
In Christianity, at least, the ultimate symbol of the ultimate spirit is communicated to every man when a wife he loves gives birth to his first child. Something in every father changes when that happens. Most of us have experienced it. We want the world to be as perfect as we can make it for our sons and daughters. It is an inexplicable and worthy transformation.
One that makes us want to do good and leave a legacy of good.
The influence that encourages us to do good is "God".
That is why we celebrate marriage. Not because we conform, but because we understand that special moment of birth and promise, and a new-found will to make the world better.
Men who understand this and who have been transformed by it have the spiritual and moral foundation to be worthy Presidents.
Mother/child/country
1
... well spoken, and hate to disagree with you, but many people who are “spiritual but not religious”, secular humanist, agnostic, atheist, or observe other non-Christian religions,have strong drives to do good, love their fellow human, be altruistic ... formal religion is by no means a necessary element ...
2
"In Christianity, at least (among the religions and beliefs), the ultimate symbol...." [I only had 1,500 characters to express my thought. Religion ought not to be a label.
We celebrate ... not because we conform but because we understand -- through symbols that link us to meaningful experience.
Hindu long ago (7,000yrs) learned that they had to coexist with cobra -- or starve (cobra ate rats that ate grain) -- and so they learned to get along with people as well by avoiding conflict through mutual respect. They learned to do it well enough to have never waged war.
Buddhists observed monkeys who are consumed when unwilling to release their grasp on a glittering object within a trap whose hole is large enough for a hand to enter, but too small to remove a fist. Every religious system is founded on some significant experience that religion seeks to sustain.
The Haj where Moslems meet and share according to their needs and means. New Englanders sharing barn-raising and harvesting activities, merchants sharing the risk of oceanic commerce in Northern Europe (Hanseatic League) and around the world (Lloyds, Wall Street, etc.)
Any metaphor can be distorted if one tries hard enough. But they all have a purpose, and that purpose is ultimately cooperation.
What was the most meaningful experience/observation in your own life??
Primatologists like Frans de Waal ("Chimpanzee Politics") offer a lot of insight about our behavior by examining that of all creatures.
2
"In this case, Melania knew exactly the kind of man she was getting."
'Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
-Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Lay of the woman, Mr. Blow.
It's cheap. And it's lazy.
3
Charles.
A porn actress a porn star? This is a prostitute.
Please help set this straight. Language matters. Porn production is only legal in a few states. And why? Because of prostitution laws.
Woman want to matter and yet woman themselves don’t know what a prostitute is. Personally I think prostitution should be legal and regulated. The intelligent countries where it is legal know what prostitution is. Stormy Danials is a successful prostitute. Our president is a “John”.
5
Melania was admitted to this country on an Einstein Visa. She allegedly speaks 5 languages. She has power connections beyond the reach of 99% of the working women in this country.
And she can't get a career going and raise her son on her own? A son who clearly is living within the spectrum of autism and subjected to the daily chaos of his mentally ill father.
The only real prisoner of that cesspool of a marriage is Barron.
7
The philandering behavior of past American presidents is well known. Over the past century we can look at Roosevelt, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Clinton and probably others. When you decide to write a column titled "Hillary Knew" to follow this column then I will believe that it's really not about partisanship but about principle.
3
The ONLY decency about this administration is Melania.
1
Decent. No she is not. Perhaps least not decent?
1
Melania has always been nothing more than arm candy for Trump. He carried on with porn stars and other women from the day he married her, through her pregnancy and after the birth of their son. Maybe theirs has always been a business rather than emotional relationship.
But it is pathetic to watch the Melania's daily humiliation and loss of dignity by being married to such a sleazy cad. I guess the money is worth it to her.
4
OK, Charles, I hereby proclaim: This situation is over the line. What next? Is he gone yet....?
1
These matters simply illustrate what a vile person Mr. Trump is....but guess what? Sure, Melania knew, but the American people knew, too! Anyone who followed Mr. Trump's life (and those who live in NYC can't avoid it) were very aware of his stupid frat-boy ways. There isn't much info here that wasn't freely available before November 2016. Give it up....no one cares.
3
Of course Melania knew. She's always known. But having it reported on Page Six was a whole lot easier to take than having it reported on every national and international website! It was a lot easier to ignore before she moved into White House. It used to be basically between her and Donald. But now? Dang. Everybody's in her business. Tsk tsk.
4
This whole sordid story of Trump & Co. in his personal life, business dealings, publicity seeking, Presidential campaign, and now his occupation of the Oval Office, is almost beyond belief - and to think millions of Americans voted for this person. Tony Perkins and his family values clan can give all the Mulligans they want - Tony doesn't speak for the rest of us Americans.
Impeachment is way overdue.
2
I'd also like to bring up the fact that Melania was a birther like her husband. She made the talk show rounds spewing that vile racist nonsense. She is not some innocent victim here. She is complicit in it all and she deserves whatever embarrassment she gets.
8
Mr. Blow sounds like a Victorian. (But of course a hallmark of Victorianism was hypocrisy.) He denies to women the agency implicit in real equality. Assuming that, yes, "Melania knew", why is Blow's opprobrium limited to Trump? Of what relevance, then, is which trimester of pregnancy she was in when he committed this or that "exploit", or whether he sent his date to the bathroom so he could get another woman's phone number? The women he dallied with while he was married to his first wife must have "known what they were getting into", and that wasn't the life of an unemployed steel puddler in Gary, Indiana. Grow up, Mr. Blow. Trump may score a zero in sexual morality, but I'm more interested in things like nuclear war and the US economy.
1
Just last week I wrote that I felt sorry for Melania. Mr. Blow, you have converted me. The shame of having a philandering husband is something you have allowed and rationalized. You're on your own.
4
Thanks for your research and writing, Mr. Blow.
3
#sheknew and she didn’t care
2
The SD affair means nothing more than middel amerika getting a peak into the kultur of rich male-hood. Said kultur comes replete with consenting attractive young women who, in the words of the author, know what they're getting in to.
Ditto the girls who go to Hollywood to work in the visual-porn industry--euphemistically calling themselves 'actresses' and 'artistes'...
To indulge oneself in this stuff as a political 'issue' indicates a severe failure to come to terms with the seriousness of politics as such. This moralistic chatter therefore becomes part of the tunnel vision of being middel amerikan--as it always has been.
1
Trump was in his late teens when JFK was president. Maybe he learned something from him. Kennedy of course was a much better president and a better man all around. But when it comes to womanizing, from what I’ve heard, the only difference between them is that Kennedy did it with more class.
6
Melania is a smart woman and was aware of the character of the man she married. I am certain they had an agreement and I would venture to say the word discretion was shared.
What she did not anticipate was that her husband's affair with a porn star would be made public on a global scale.
Her husband has got to make her feel humiliated on so many levels. I wonder how she will ever explain Baron's father behavior for one day he will ask.
5