Reprinted with permission from Alternet
When a close aide to President Donald Trump, Madeleine Westerhout, resigned abruptly on Thursday, there was immediate speculation and curiosity about the unknown reason for the departure.
On Friday afternoon, Politico finally published a story providing an answer. According to the report, Westerhout was fired for “bragging to reporters that she had a better relationship with Trump than his own daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany Trump, and that the president did not like being in pictures with Tiffany because he perceived her as overweight.”
She also “jokingly told the journalists that Trump couldn’t pick Tiffany out of a crowd,” the report found.
Westerhout’s remarks reportedly came at a dinner in New Jersey with reporters that was supposed to be off the record, a common occurrence for press traveling with the president. Politico cited its report to “two people familiar with the matter.”
An anonymous official seemed to confirm the account to Politico, saying: “This was an off-the-record dinner and the media blatantly violated that agreement.”
While Trump’s reported attitude toward his daughter Tiffany is disturbing, it’s not out of line with what is publicly known about his feelings toward women. He lashed out at a former Miss Universe contestant for gaining “a massive amount of weight.” He has also shown a bizarre obsession with his daughter Ivanka’s appearance, saying she has the “best body” and a “nice figure.” He even added: “I’ve said that if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”
Lawfare’s Susan Hennessey noted:
I suppose it shouldn't surprise anyone that it turns out Trump is also hideously cruel to his own daughter. https://t.co/dT4KX5zELZ
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) August 30, 2019
