A controversial audio tape leaked last month has surfaced, revealing a disturbing conversation where Donald Trump reportedly urged his wife, Melania, to parade in a bikini at their Mar-a-Lago estate. This revelation comes from a joint investigation conducted by ‘60 Minutes Australia‘ in collaboration with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
The recordings were made by Australian businessman Anthony Pratt, a significant former donor to Trump and a member of Trump’s Palm Beach country club. According to The Independent, Pratt is heard on the tapes discussing his experiences within Trump’s circle during his presidency.
On these tapes, Pratt recounts an incident where Trump, then 77, requested his third wife, Melania, then 53, to walk around the Mar-a-Lago pool in her bikini to evoke envy in other men. The recording captures Pratt saying that Trump wanted the men to see “what they were missing.” Melania’s retort to Trump’s request was sharp and witty, as she countered that she would comply “when you walk around with me in your bikini.”
The fallout from the leaked tapes has been significant, with Trump responding vehemently on his social media platform, Truth Social. He lashed out at Pratt, labeling him a “red-haired weirdo from Australia,” and vehemently denied discussing American submarines with him. Instead, Trump asserted that their conversations were strictly about job creation in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, emphasizing his focus on economic issues like jobs, low taxes, and strong borders.
In his post, Trump criticized The New York Times and other media outlets for spreading what he termed “Fake News,” accusing them of lacking journalistic integrity and failing to seek his comment before publishing their stories. He disparaged the media’s coverage as “All the News That’s Unfit To Print,” echoing his longstanding grievance with what he calls the “Fake News media.”
Further complicating matters, ABC News reported that during Trump’s presidency, Pratt was allegedly told by Trump about sensitive military information, including specifics about the nuclear capabilities of U.S. submarines and their stealth operations near Russian territories. This purported breach is part of a broader investigation into Trump’s handling of confidential materials at Mar-a-Lago by special counsel Jack Smith’s team.
Pratt has reportedly used these claims to illustrate his efforts to foster Australia’s interests with the United States to investigators. He mentioned these discussions while exploring possibilities for Australia to acquire U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines, and even briefed several Australian officials, some of whom later interacted with the Biden administration concerning this matter.
The allegations and the ensuing media storm highlight the ongoing scrutiny of Trump’s conduct and the potential misuse of his position to influence others with sensitive information, adding another layer to the complex legal and ethical issues surrounding the former president.
