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Trump Slams Former Miss Universe over Weight Gain

HeadlineSep 28, 2016

In the wake of Monday night’s first presidential debate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has begun lashing out at everyone from moderator Lester Holt to a former Miss Universe beauty pageant winner. Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Trump accused Holt of asking “unfair questions.” He also reiterated his criticism of former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, whom Clinton had mentioned during Monday night’s debate.

Donald Trump: “When she brought up the person that became—you know, I know that person. That person was a Miss Universe person. And she was the worst we ever had. The worst, the absolute worst. She was impossible. And she was a Miss Universe contestant, and ultimately a winner, who they had a tremendously difficult time with as Miss Universe. … She was the winner, and, you know, she gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem. We had a—we had a real problem.”

That was Donald Trump speaking to Fox and Friends. In response, Alicia Machado has attacked Donald Trump in an interview with The Guardian, in which she also recounted how Trump’s criticism of her sparked an eating disorder.

Alicia Machado: “I was sick for almost five years with anorexic, bulimic. I had eating disorders after that episode. I know very well this person. I know what he can do. This is more than a reality show. This is not a reality show.”

That was Alicia Machado. She’s now working for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Donald Trump also brought cameras into the gym to show her working out. After the debate, Donald Trump also told ABC he regrets not raising Bill Clinton’s marital infidelities.

Donald Trump: “I mean, I got everything I wanted to say, I got it out, other than the transgressions of Bill, because, you know, she takes all these commercials, spending literally hundreds of millions of dollars on commercials, and they’re lies. They’re lies. But I thought—and I didn’t want to do it with Chelsea, who I think is a very wonderful young lady. I didn’t want to say what I was going to say with Chelsea in the room.”

Donald Trump had previously said he might bring Gennifer Flowers to sit in the front row of the debate. Flowers had an affair with Bill Clinton in the 1970s. The Trump campaign later said it had not extended an invitation to Flowers and that she would not attend.

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