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Fact check: Did any former Miss Universe or Miss Teen USA contestants accuse Trump of misconduct?

Checked on October 8, 2025

Executive Summary

Two separate threads emerge from the provided reporting: multiple former Miss Teen USA contestants publicly alleged that Donald Trump entered dressing rooms while they were changing, with some claimants saying they were as young as 15 at the time, and at least one former Miss USA contestant publicly defended Trump, saying he treated her with respect. The allegations and the defense are both documented in the supplied sources and reflect conflicting firsthand accounts from people who participated in pageants connected to the Miss Universe Organization [1] [2]. The timing of reporting—October and November 2025—frames this as a recent, contested set of claims rather than a settled factual record [1] [2].

1. How the allegation narrative is framed and who is speaking up: competing accounts and specifics that matter

At least four women who competed in a Miss Teen USA pageant said Donald Trump walked into their dressing room while they were undressing, with some alleging they were as young as 15 when the incidents occurred; these statements are presented as direct accusations in the reporting dated October 2, 2025. The reporting gives a clear factual claim: multiple former contestants assert that Trump entered private changing areas during pageant events, and the age detail—some being minors—greatly raises the gravity of the allegation [1]. The presence of multiple accusers is a material fact in the public record reported.

2. The counter-narrative: a former Miss USA contestant’s public defense of Trump

A separate piece, published November 6, 2025, records Melissa Young, a former Miss USA contestant, saying Donald Trump treated her with respect and supported her during a difficult time, casting their interactions in a positive light. Her statement functions as a direct counterpoint to the Teen USA allegations by offering a personal, contradictory experience from someone who also competed in pageants associated with Trump’s organizations. This defense does not directly refute specific allegations about dressing-room entries but shows witness variance and underscores that contestants’ experiences were not uniform [2].

3. Dates, sequence and ownership context: why Miss Universe links matter to the story

Reporting notes that Trump sold the Miss Universe Organization in 2015, but his historical involvement remains relevant for understanding the environment and access he had during the years the alleged incidents occurred. The ownership timeline clarifies that allegations from former contestants pertain to a period when Trump had operational ties to the pageant, making organizational context relevant to claims about his behavior in pageant spaces [3]. Chronology matters because it frames possible responsibility and access rather than proving conduct in itself.

4. Cross-checking the claims: consistency, possible corroboration, and what’s missing

The supplied materials show a pattern: multiple accusers alleging similar behavior (walking into dressing rooms) juxtaposed with at least one corroborating voice of a different tenor (a defense). What’s missing from the provided reporting are contemporaneous records, organizational statements from the Miss Universe Organization at the time of the alleged incidents, or independent corroboration (e.g., staff testimony, internal memos, or contemporaneous complaints). The current public record in these sources is composed of witness statements and personal recollections rather than documentary evidence in the provided set [1] [2] [3].

5. Evaluating source posture and potential agendas within the supplied coverage

Each supplied source is a piece of journalism that may select quotes and framing; the accusers’ story and the defender’s account both serve different narratives. The October 2, 2025 article centers allegations and emphasizes the ages and the multiplicity of accusers, which raises public concern. The November 6, 2025 piece highlights a positive portrait of Trump from a former contestant, which can function to mitigate public perceptions. Both narratives are plausible within first-person reporting, but their coexistence signals a contested memory environment rather than unilateral corroboration [1] [2].

6. Where reporting leaves unresolved legal and factual questions

The supplied coverage does not supply legal filings, police reports, or organizational disciplinary records tied to the specific dressing-room allegations; it reports personal claims and personal defense. Absent independent documentary evidence or official investigative outcomes in the provided sources, the factual record remains contested. That gap is consequential: witness statements can be powerful but are strengthened by independent corroboration, which is not present in these provided items [1] [2] [3].

7. Bottom line and what to watch next for a clearer picture

Based solely on the supplied reporting, multiple former Miss Teen USA contestants publicly accused Donald Trump of walking into dressing rooms while they were changing, with some alleging they were minors at the time; a former Miss USA contestant publicly contradicted those allegations by describing respectful treatment. The sources’ dates—October 2 and November 6, 2025—show this as a recent news cycle with competing firsthand accounts; resolving factual disputes will require additional documentary evidence or independent investigations beyond these witness statements [1] [2] [3].

Want to dive deeper?
What were the specific allegations made by former Miss Universe contestants against Trump?
How did Trump respond to the misconduct allegations from former beauty pageant contestants?
Were there any investigations into Trump's behavior at Miss Universe or Miss Teen USA events?
Which former Miss Universe or Miss Teen USA contestants have publicly spoken out against Trump?
Did Trump's ownership of the Miss Universe pageant influence his interactions with contestants?