Did Trump say he had sex in common with his daughter on national television
Executive summary
The claim centers on a 2013 television appearance in which Donald Trump joked, when asked what he and Ivanka had in common, “Well, I was going to say sex, but I can’t relate that to her,” a line documented in multiple contemporaneous and later accounts of the Wendy Williams interview [1] [2] [3]. Beyond that televised quip, reporting and books by former aides allege a pattern of lewd remarks about Ivanka off-camera and in staff settings, but some more extreme attributions lack independent verification [4] [5] [6] [7].
1. The on‑air remark and its sourcing
The specific remark that prompted the question—Trump’s 2013 reply on The Wendy Williams Show that he “was going to say sex” when asked what he and Ivanka had in common—appears in multiple entertainment and news accounts that quote or summarize the exchange, including Us Weekly, The Irish Star and The Independent, which all reproduce the line as part of their reporting on archived clips of the interview [2] [1] [3].
2. Pattern of public lewd comments about Ivanka
This televised jest sits inside a broader record of Trump making sexually charged or crass comments about Ivanka in public media appearances over many years—examples cited by outlets include his Howard Stern conversations and a 2006 appearance on The View where he made remarks about Ivanka’s figure and dating hypotheticals—coverage compiled by outlets such as CNN, The Independent and The Forward [8] [3] [6].
3. Private staff accounts and book excerpts
Several former aides and at least one former official who has written about the administration say Trump also made more explicit, off‑camera comments to staff, including allegedly talking about Ivanka’s body and “what it might be like to have sex with her,” claims cited in Miles Taylor’s book and reported by Newsweek and The Seattle Times [5] [4]. These accounts portray recurring behavior inside the workplace that staff found disturbing and that prompted internal rebukes such as the one attributed to then‑Chief of Staff John Kelly [4] [5].
4. Where reporting diverges and what is unproven
Not all reported quotes or anecdotes are equally documented: while the Wendy Williams on‑air line is widely quoted, some claims floating online—such as a frequently circulated 1993 line about being “more sexually attracted” to Ivanka at age 13—have been investigated and found lacking conclusive proof, with fact‑checks noting a mix of real comments, removed clips and unverified memes [7]. Major outlets report both the documented on‑air quip and the less verifiable staff anecdotes, making clear there is a difference between televised remarks and behind‑the‑scenes allegations [2] [4] [7].
5. Motives, context and competing narratives
Different outlets emphasize different things: entertainment press highlights the cringe factor of the televised joke [2], investigative reporting places the quip in a pattern of conduct used to characterize Trump’s behavior toward women [8] [6], and some fact‑checks push back on overbroad or unverified claims circulating online [7]. Sources may have implicit agendas—former aides writing books may seek to influence public opinion, and tabloids aim for virality—so corroboration and source type matter when assessing the totality of the record [5] [2].
6. Direct answer
Yes: on national television in 2013, Donald Trump did make a joking remark that he “was going to say sex” when asked what he and Ivanka had in common, an exchange documented in multiple media reports quoting the Wendy Williams appearance [2] [1] [3]. Broader allegations that he fantasized about or regularly discussed having sex with his daughter are reported by former aides and in books covering Trump’s conduct, but some specific historical attributions remain disputed or unverified by independent fact‑checking [4] [5] [7].