Fact check: Melania tRump a sex worker in Amsterdam

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Melania Trump worked as a sex worker in Amsterdam is categorically false and has been thoroughly debunked. Multiple sources confirm that the Daily Mail newspaper agreed to pay damages and costs to Melania Trump over an article about her modeling career, which included allegations that she worked as an escort ^[1]. The newspaper retracted the claims and apologized, stating that the allegations were not true ^[1].

Melania Trump took legal action against these false claims, suing a British newspaper and a US blogger for $150 million over allegations she was a sex worker in the 1990s, with her lawyer calling the claims 'outright lies' ^[2]. The legal pressure was effective, as the Daily Mail has since retracted the article ^[2].

Her actual career history shows she worked as a professional fashion model in Slovenia, Paris, and Milan before moving to New York in 1996 ^[3]. Sources confirm her professional modeling career, highlighting her work in fashion magazines and advertisements ^[4] and her work in various fashion contexts, including Sports Illustrated and other magazines ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement completely omits the crucial legal context surrounding these false allegations. The claim of Melania Trump being a sex worker is unfounded and was previously retracted by the Daily Mail, which also apologized and settled a defamation lawsuit with her ^[6].

Additionally, the statement fails to mention that an article by the Daily Beast was taken down after Melania Trump's lawyers contacted them, challenging the headline and framing of the article which suggested she met her husband through a modeling agent connected with Jeffrey Epstein ^[7]. This demonstrates a pattern of media outlets being forced to retract similar unfounded claims.

The statement also ignores Melania Trump's recent public stance on her modeling career, where she stands 'proudly behind my nude modeling work' ^[8], showing her openness about her legitimate professional modeling history while distinguishing it from false sex work allegations.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to be spreading deliberate misinformation that has already been legally challenged and debunked. The phrasing suggests the claim as fact when there is absolutely no evidence supporting the claim of sex work in Amsterdam ^[5].

This type of false allegation could benefit political opponents or media outlets seeking to damage Melania Trump's reputation, particularly given the timing around her increased presence in the 2024 presidential campaign ^[8]. The persistence of these debunked claims despite legal retractions and settlements suggests potential coordinated disinformation rather than legitimate reporting.

The statement's bias is evident in its presentation of a thoroughly discredited allegation as if it were established fact, ignoring the substantial legal and factual evidence that contradicts it entirely.