Fact check: Does Donald Trump have a secret child

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, there is no credible evidence that Donald Trump has a secret child. The primary claim centers around allegations that Trump fathered a child with a former housekeeper, a rumor that was investigated by reputable news organizations but found to be unsubstantiated.

The rumor originated from Dino Sajudin, a former Trump World Tower doorman, who claimed knowledge of an alleged affair between Donald Trump and an ex-housekeeper that resulted in a child ^[1]. However, this claim has not been independently confirmed ^[1]. The rumor was likely untrue and was suppressed by American Media, Inc. during Trump's 2016 campaign ^[2].

Thorough investigations by credible news outlets found no supporting evidence:

• The Associated Press and The New Yorker investigated the claims but found no evidence to support them ^{[2] [3]}
• Multiple sources confirm there is little evidence to back up the claim ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the specific nature and origin of these rumors. The analyses reveal that:

• The rumor was part of a broader pattern of "catch and kill" practices by American Media, Inc., which would purchase potentially damaging stories about Trump and then suppress them ^[2]
• There are legal documents that mention paternity in unrelated contexts - specifically, Trump's non-disclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels includes references to "paternity information" and "alleged children," but Daniels' lawyer clarified this is merely "boilerplate language" and not related to any actual secret child ^[4]
• The question conflates different individuals - one analysis mentions a paternity case involving Jason Miller, a Trump campaign advisor, and Arlene 'AJ' Delgado, but this involves Miller, not Trump ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain explicit misinformation, but it perpetuates unsubstantiated rumors that have been thoroughly investigated and debunked by credible journalists. By asking "Does Donald Trump have a secret child" without acknowledging that this claim has been investigated and found baseless, the question gives unwarranted credibility to conspiracy theories.

The framing suggests there might be legitimate grounds for the question, when the evidence shows these are unfounded rumors that were likely fabricated or exaggerated. The question benefits those who seek to spread unverified claims about political figures, potentially serving the interests of:

• Political opponents seeking to damage Trump's reputation
• Media outlets that profit from sensational, unverified stories
• Conspiracy theorists who benefit from keeping unfounded rumors alive in public discourse

The analyses demonstrate that responsible journalism has already addressed and debunked these claims, making the continued circulation of such questions potentially misleading to the public.