Natasha Stoynoff Accusation: Alleged Forcible Kissing at Mar-a-Lago in 2005, Corroborated by Six Witnesses
Tier 4No Active Investigation2005-12-01 to 2023-05-04
Factual Summary
Natasha Stoynoff, a staff writer for People magazine, alleged that Donald Trump physically assaulted her in December 2005 during a visit to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Stoynoff was at the resort to conduct an interview with Trump and his wife Melania, who was pregnant with their son Barron, for a feature on the couple's first wedding anniversary.
Stoynoff wrote that while Melania went upstairs to change outfits, Trump took her to a room to show her what he described as a "tremendous" space. Once inside, Trump pushed her against a wall and forcibly kissed her. Stoynoff stated she was unable to escape until a butler entered the room. Trump allegedly told her afterward: "You know we're going to have an affair, don't you?" Stoynoff completed the interview and published a flattering anniversary profile without reporting the assault publicly.
Stoynoff published her account in People magazine on October 12, 2016, the same week the Access Hollywood recording was released. Six days later, on October 18, 2016, People published a follow-up article presenting six corroborating witnesses who stated that Stoynoff had told them about the incident at or near the time it occurred. The six witnesses were:
1. Mary Green, deputy East Coast news editor at People, who said Stoynoff confided in her years earlier.
2. Liz McNeil, East Coast editor at People, who provided a similar account.
3. Liza Hamm, a former People staff writer, who said Stoynoff had told her about the incident.
4. Paul McLaughlin, Stoynoff's former journalism professor, who stated she called him in tears on the night of the alleged encounter seeking advice.
5. Marina Grasic, Stoynoff's longtime friend, who said she received a detailed call from Stoynoff the day after the alleged attack, in which Stoynoff described Trump pushing her against a wall and later appearing at her massage appointment.
6. Liza Herz, a personal friend, who stated she was present when Stoynoff and Melania Trump had a later encounter on Fifth Avenue in which Melania did not acknowledge the prior meeting.
In May 2023, Stoynoff testified as a corroborating witness in the E. Jean Carroll civil trial. She told the jury that Trump "started kissing me" during the 2005 visit. Trump's legal team announced after her testimony that they would not call any witnesses in rebuttal.
Primary Sources
1. People magazine: Stoynoff's first-person account, October 12, 2016
2. People magazine: "Six people back People magazine account of Trump sexual assault," October 18, 2016
3. Testimony transcript, Carroll v. Trump, No. 22-cv-10016 (S.D.N.Y.), May 2023, available via PACER
Corroborating Sources
1. PBS NewsHour: "Trump denied sexual assault accusation; People magazine publishes six corroborations," October 2016
2. CBS News: "Report: Trump sexual assault accuser's story corroborated by six people," October 2016
3. ABC News: "3rd accuser testifies Trump started 'kissing me' during 2005 visit to Mar-a-Lago," May 2023
4. Courthouse News Service: "Trump accuser No. 3 found solace and shame in being part of a pattern," May 2023
Counterarguments and Context
Trump denied Stoynoff's account entirely. In October 2016, he stated: "Look at her. Look at her words. You tell me what you think. I don't think so." He characterized her account as fabricated and politically motivated. Trump's legal team did not present contradicting witnesses or evidence regarding Stoynoff's specific allegations during the Carroll trial. Stoynoff did not file a police report or a civil lawsuit based on the alleged incident.
Author's Note
This entry is classified as Tier 4 because the allegation has not been adjudicated in a proceeding specific to Stoynoff's claims. However, the level of corroboration is unusually strong for this category. Six named witnesses confirmed that Stoynoff described the incident contemporaneously, and her account was admitted as evidence in a federal civil trial. Stoynoff's decision to publish a flattering profile of Trump after the alleged assault, rather than reporting it, is consistent with patterns documented in sexual assault research and is not inconsistent with her later account.