Republican candidate ‘humiliated’ former Miss Universe at Sydney event, says report, but model tells Australian media she and Trump shared mutual respect

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

A former Miss Universe has defended Donald Trump after a video surfaced showing him “getting even” with her – making lewd remarks and then pulling her in for a kiss – in front of a large audience at a Sydney event.

Jennifer Hawkins, an Australian model and media personality, won the Miss Universe competition in 2004.

The video, published by the Huffington Post on Saturday, was filmed at the National Achievers Congress at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in September 2011 and shows Trump seeking to embarrass Hawkins on stage.

The three-minute clip begins with Trump telling the audience of thousands that he believes in “getting even with people”.

“If they screw you, screw them back 10 times harder,” he says. “And I’ll give you an example: Jennifer Hawkins.”



A fuller clip of the same event posted to YouTube shows this takes place some time after Hawkins had introduced the “brilliant businessman” to the stage.

Trump singles her out in the audience and calls her to rejoin him on stage. “First of all, how beautiful is Jennifer?

“Now this is about getting even. I was so angry at her yesterday.”

Trump goes on to say that he thought that “my Jennifer” had “dissed” him by refusing to introduce him.

“I’m going around saying she’s my favourite Miss Universe – though I think I like the new one better, Jennifer – I go around saying she’s the greatest, she writes books ... she’s fantastic.



“Then when I came here, there was no Jennifer Hawkins to introduce me.”

Hawkins, now back at the podium with Trump, interjects to say that “there was a miscommunication” and “of course I wanted to come here”.

Trump tells the laughing audience that he was intending to tell them that Hawkins “is a beautiful girl on the outside but she’s not very bright”.

“It wouldn’t have been true, but I would have said it anyway. ...

“She’s so great and she did so well and she’s a big star here and I helped her make it. I won the Miss Universe pageant. And I heard that she wouldn’t introduce me.”

Hawkins attempts to interject, before Trump goes onto make a lewd double entendre on the fact Hawkins “came” to the event, repeating the word several times.

“See, they have the same filthy minds in Australia,” Trump says, to laughter and applause. An audience member can be seen leaving his seat.

He concludes his anecdote: “She got in that car and she got her ass over here and I love her.”

As Hawkins, apparently embarrassed, again cites a miscommunication with her management, Trump says: “I don’t know too many women that are taller than me,” then grabs her by the waist and kisses her on the cheek as she puts up her forearm in between them.

“Can I sit down now?” she says. “You’ve embarrassed me – thank you very much.”

The Huffington Post said it showed Trump “sexually humiliating” Hawkins before a large audience.

But Hawkins told Australian media on Saturday that she had a “lot of respect” for Trump.

“Sure, I’ve seen what’s been going on in the news, but really what is there for me to say other than that he respected me during that time in my life and I have a lot of respect for him because of that ... that’s really all I have to say about it,” she said, according to Fairfax Media’s report.

She did not want to comment on Trump’s political chances.

“That’s not saying I agree with everything that’s been happening ... but I am not going to sit here and throw negative comments out there, it’s just not who I am. I don’t like drama in my life so I try to stay away from that.”



She also denied allegations that she had been cancelling interviews in recent weeks to avoid commenting on Trump and the controversy swirling around him.

“It’s not that I’ve been avoiding the subject.”

Hawkins made the comments at the Birdcage hospitality area at the Derby Day race in Melbourne on Saturday where she was acting as Myer ambassador. Her representative at 22 MGMT in Sydney has been contacted for comment.

On Friday a former Miss Finland became the 12th woman to openly accuse Trump of sexual assault.