Stacey Williamsa former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, has publicly accused Donald Trump of groping her in the early 1990s, an allegation she said was an attempt to impress the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. In her interview with CNN, Williams gave detailed accounts of the alleged encounter, which took place when she was in her 20s and had a brief relationship with Epstein.
Williams, now 56, said Epstein took her to Trump Tower in New York City in 1993, where they met Trump outside his office. “The second time he was in front of me, he pulled me into him, and his hands were just on me and wouldn’t come off,” she described. She claimed that Trump’s hands moved over her body as he and Epstein talked, causing her to go into shock. “It was one of the strangest moments of my life,” she added, noting that she felt “frozen” and unable to respond.
After the meeting, Williams claimed she received a postcard from Trump with a photo of his Mar-a-Lago resort, with a handwritten note that read, “Stacey, your home away from home.” Love, Donald.” The Trump campaign has vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing them as “completely false” and suggesting they are politically motivated, especially given their timing in the run-up to the upcoming elections.
In a statement, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt characterized the allegations as part of a smear campaign and linked them to support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. However, Williams insists that her decision to speak out was not influenced by the election, but rather her involvement in a recent documentary on the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Williams’ accusations add to a long history of women who have accused Trump of inappropriate behavior. Since he announced his candidacy in 2015, more than twenty women have come forward, all of which Trump has categorically denied. In particular, his ties to Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes and died in prison in 2019, have been the subject of scrutiny, with Trump once describing Epstein as a “great guy” before trying to distance himself.
During the CNN interview, Williams reflected on the emotional toll of the incident, saying, “I felt a wave of shame… it was coordinated, a kind of twisted game.” She revealed that Epstein had chastised her for allowing Trump to touch her, reinforcing the sense of manipulation.
Williams had previously kept her experiences private and only discussed them with close friends years later. After the #MeToo movement, she began looking for ways to share her story, eventually addressing the allegations in the documentary and on a recent Zoom call with “Survivors for Kamala.”
As the election approaches, Williams hopes her story will encourage others to reconsider their support for Trump. “The thought of that monster being back in the White House is my absolute worst nightmare,” she concluded, emphasizing the need for accountability regarding allegations of sexual misconduct.