Trump Reportedly Fixed the Miss Universe Pageant, Favoring Countries With Whom He Had Business Ties
Did President Donald Trump rig the Miss Universe pageant in favor of contestants representing countries with whom he conducted business?
In a lengthy piece for this week’s New Yorker authored by Jeffrey Toobin, several former contestants went on the record to allege that Trump handpicked his top choices in the days leading up to the competition. And he made sure to note his business holdings in the nations being represented by his favorites.
Adwoa Yamoah, who participated in the competition after winning Miss Canada 2012, told Toobin that Trump would drop by during rehearsals, chat up the contestants, and then note his preferences to Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart.
“He made comments about every girl,” Yamoah told Toobin. “‘I’ve been to that country.’ ‘We’re building a Trump Tower there.’ It was clear the countries that he liked did well. He’d whisper to Paula about the girls, and she’d write it down. He basically told us he picked nine of the top 15.”
Kerrie Baylis, Miss Jamaica 2013, added, “the list [of Miss Universe finalists] looked like the countries that Donald Trump did business with, or wanted to do business with.”
And Shi Lim, Miss Singapore 2013, also told Toobin, “The finalists were picked by Trump. He was really in charge. We called it the Trump card.”
Toobin noted that a Miss Universe spokesperson said it was not against the rules for Trump or any other staffer to help select the finalists.
https://www.mediaite.com/online/trump-reportedly-fixed-the-miss-universe-pageant-favoring-countries-with-whom-he-had-business-ties/
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