A former New York Playboy cover model says a brief romance with Donald Trump from the early ’90s has followed her for decades, and not in the glamorous way you might expect.
Sandra Taylor, who graced the July 1995 cover of Playboy in a Stars and Stripes bikini, recently reflected on her short-lived relationship with current President Donald Trump and how publicly acknowledging it years later turned her life into something she describes as turmoil, per Daily Mail.
Taylor, now 59, dated Trump in 1991 when she was just 19 years old and living in New York. According to her, he first reached out after spotting her photo on the cover of New York magazine. The timing was delicate; her father had recently passed away. She has said that during that vulnerable period, he showed her kindness.
New York Playboy Model Says Speaking Out About Donald Trump Fling Cost Her
The relationship itself was brief; she previously shared they went on three dates, but it became headline fodder in 2015 when she was asked by Page Six about the romance while promoting the Gary Marshall comedy Mother’s Day. That’s when she made a comment that would echo for years.
“Omigosh, he was great. I think he’d be a terrific president.” At the time, she says, her intent wasn’t political. But in today’s climate, neutrality can feel like taking sides. Looking back, she admits, “I regret mentioning it at all. No good came out of it. Only negative came out of it.”
That single quote, she says, unleashed years of criticism and judgment, especially as Trump’s political profile rose. “People are going to want to judge, and people are going to want to hate. I guess that’s what comes with the territory.”
For someone who describes herself as simply reflecting on a past relationship, the backlash felt disproportionate. Taylor has consistently maintained that her comments were about her personal experience, not a campaign endorsement. “I was really just trying to say he’s a great guy and he was great to me when I needed someone most after my dad’s death.”
Sandra Taylor Went On 3 Dates With Trump
She also pointed out the generational context, saying, “Also, when you date someone when you’re 19, and it’s 35 years later, you say to somebody, ‘Well, where were you 35 years ago?’ Times were so different then.”
During their time together, she recalls simple moments like a walk along Central Park South where Trump allegedly gestured toward a homeless man and remarked, “Do you see that guy there? He’s worth about $50million more than I am.” It was a snapshot of a very different era, when his businesses were struggling and politics weren’t yet part of the narrative.
She also credits him with persuading her to change her name from Sandi Korn. “I’ve been Sandra Taylor ever since,” she said. When news of their relationship surfaced back then, it effectively ended things. “I was sad when it ended,” she admitted. Today, Taylor says she’s remained largely quiet because of the ongoing reaction to her past remarks. “Talking about certain things really makes you wonder if you should just stay quiet.”
The Internet Weighs In
And yet, she stands by her personal experience. “He was wonderful to me. Whether you like his politics or not, as a person, he was good to me.” She added, “He taught me certain things. He was very educational and gave advice. And for that, I’m forever grateful.”
“Karma is real and all the petty harm you do for your supposed gain will come back to you 10 fold,” one person commented. “So why bring it up again and again?” asked another. “Most MAGA will be saying the same thing in a few years. Wait for the turmoil she speaks of,” a third comment read.
Living in New York during her modeling years, she says she encountered many notable figures and has “nothing bad to say about anybody.” She’s even considering writing a memoir one day, though she admits the depth of what she would reveal gives her pause.
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