Donald Trump has said a lot of gross stuff about women in his lifetime, but it seemed possible that once he announced he was running for president ― the nation’s highest office ― he’d tamp down on the ignorant, misogynistic drivel.
That certainly has not happened.
Since Trump got into the presidential race last summer, his sexist remarks have continued to flow unabated, threatening to drown numbed voters in a toxic stream of misogyny.
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He also proved himself to be a textbook “manterrupter” during the first presidential debate, frequently speaking over the first female candidate to ever take the stage.
And that’s to say nothing of the actual policies Trump has proposed, like a family leave plan that completely excludes men (because women = biologically hardwired to be caregivers), and going all-in on a sweeping anti-abortion plan (because women’s bodies = not really their own). But words matter and Trump’s are, to borrow one of his favorites, disgusting.
Here are 16 real things he’s said about women since announcing his run.
1
That Megyn Kelly had blood coming out of her 'wherever.'
John Minchillo/AP
Trump kicked off the early days of his presidential run in style by famously saying that Fox News' Megyn Kelly had "blood coming out of her wherever" after she moderated a GOP debate and questioned Trump for having previously labeled women "fat pigs" and "dogs." (He also retweeted a comment calling Kelly a "bimbo.")
2
That no one could possibly vote for Carly Fiorina because of her face.
David Goldman/AP
Back when Fiorina was still vying for the Republican presidential nomination, Trump took aim at her looks in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. "Look at that face!" he said. "Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!" Trump then attempted to backpedal, saying he was talking about her persona, not her physical appearance.
3
That Hillary Clinton was disgusting for going to the bathroom...
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
In December, Trump mocked Clinton for being a few minutes late returning to the stage during a Democratic debate saying, "I know where she went, it's disgusting, I don't want to talk about it." It's not the first time Trump has expressed revulsion at women needing to occasionally go to the bathroom, telling Howard Stern in 2004 that it was amazing he'd never seen any evidence that Melania Trump actually poops.
4
...and that she got 'schlonged' by Obama in the 2008 campaign.
Douliery Olivier/ABACA USA
Clinton gracefully exited the 2008 presidential campaign when it became clear that she was not going win, and not only went on to endorse Obama, but also worked for him. Trump, however, characterized the loss in less tactful terms, saying she got "schlonged."
5
That women who get abortions should be punished.
AP
In a March interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Trump said "there has to be some form of punishment" for abortion if it were to ever be banned in the United States -- and that punishment should fall on women. Yet again, Trump later tried to backtrack, clarifying that the person performing the abortion should be held legally responsible, not the woman -- a stance that's not really any more supportive of women's fundamental right to control their own bodies.
6
That the only card Hillary Clinton has is the 'woman card.'
Jennifer Graylock via Getty Images
One could argue that Clinton has a lot of "cards" to play that might endear her to voters, like the fact that she spent years managing the State Department, or that she fought to get 9/11 first responders health care. But according to Trump, Clinton has only one card, and that's the "woman card." You know, the one that also gets you a discount on your salary and that also makes you more likely to live in poverty and to be sexually assaulted, among innumerable other benefits.
7
That as a Muslim woman, Ghazala Khan probably isn't allowed to speak.
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
After Khizr Khan, the father of a soldier who died in Iraq, spoke out against Trump at the Democratic convention, Trump responded by publicly fighting with the family, saying at one point in an interview with ABC that perhaps Khan's wife, Ghazala, didn't speak herself because she "wasn't allowed to have anything to say." The assumption being that all Muslim women are voiceless and subservient to their husbands.
Khan then explained her decision not to speak in a devastating piece for The Washington Post. "Walking onto the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself," she wrote. "What mother could? Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?"
Khan then explained her decision not to speak in a devastating piece for The Washington Post. "Walking onto the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself," she wrote. "What mother could? Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?"
8
That he'd expect his daughter to just quit if she was harassed at work.
The Washington Post via Getty Images
Trump displayed his keen understanding of the kinds of obstacles women he workplace face and the protections they deserve when he told a USA Today columnist that if his daughter were ever to be sexually harassed at work, he hopes she'd just move on. “I would like to think she would find another career or find another company if that was the case," he said.
9
That Hillary Clinton's brain doesn't work...
Alex Wong via Getty Images
At a rally this summer, Trump added fuel to the Hillary-is-unhealthy fire (and tapped into the long history of discrediting women by calling them crazy, hormonal and biologically unfit to hold positions of power) by saying she has a "short-circuit" in her brain. "She's got problems," Trump claimed. "Honestly, I don't think she's all there."
10
...and that *maybe* someone could just shoot her.
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
At a rally this summer, Trump first warned that if Clinton is allowed to nominate Supreme Court justices there is "nothing you can do, folks.” But then he added: “Although, the Second Amendment people. Maybe there is. I don’t know.” Trump's team attempted to clarify that he was not actually promoting the idea of shooting the first woman to ever secure the Democratic nomination; rather, he was trying to energize people to turn out to the polls.
But Trump once again invoked the threat of gun violence against Clinton this fall, suggesting that her bodyguards should stop protecting her because of her thoughts on gun control, and "see what happens to her."
But Trump once again invoked the threat of gun violence against Clinton this fall, suggesting that her bodyguards should stop protecting her because of her thoughts on gun control, and "see what happens to her."
11
That he still believes sexual assault is an expected consequence of allowing women to serve in the military.
26,000 unreported sexual assults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2013
In 2013, well before Trump kicked off his presidential campaign, he tweeted that military sexual assault should basically be expected, what with men and women serving in the military together. This fall, Matt Lauer gave Trump an opportunity to amend his comments in a forum hosted by NBC, but Trump did not. "Well, it is a correct tweet," he said.
12
That ranking women's looks is all in good fun.
James Devaney via Getty Images
Trump recently said that if he'd known he was going to run for president some day, he wouldn't have gone on Howard Stern's show in the past, where he assigned actresses numerical rankings based on what he thinks about their looks and analyzed their f**kability. But he also stood by those conversations, saying they were all in jest. "We have fun," he said of going on Stern's show. "So we’ll talk about women, we’ll talk about men, we’ll talk about everything, and we’re all having a good time." Ha.
13
That Hillary Clinton doesn't have a 'presidential look.'
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
On several occasions, Trump has suggested that Clinton doesn't look like most presidents, an objective truth given that she is the first woman ever nominated by a major political party to run for the office. "I just don’t think she has a presidential look," Trump told ABC News. "And you need a presidential look."
In the first presidential debate, Trump was once again given the opportunity to address his comments. He attempted to clarify that what he really meant was that she doesn't have the stamina to be president.
In the first presidential debate, Trump was once again given the opportunity to address his comments. He attempted to clarify that what he really meant was that she doesn't have the stamina to be president.
14
That Roger Ailes has helped the women who have accused him of harassment.
John Lamparski via Getty Images
Ailes, the former CEO of Fox News, was accused by many women of sexual harassment, including former news host Gretchen Carlson (with whom Fox News recently settled). But Trump defended Ailes, telling "Meet the Press": "I can tell you that some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he's helped them."
15
That Alicia Machado's weight was 'a real problem.'
John Sciulli via Getty Images
In the first presidential debate, Clinton attacked Trump for his history of criticizing women's looks and bodies, focusing on the specific example of Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe who says Trump called her "Miss Piggy" (after she gained some weight) and "Miss Housekeeping" (because she is Latina).
The day after the debate, Trump defended fat shaming Machado, telling "Fox and Friends" that "she was the worst we ever had." “She was a winner, and she gained a massive amount of weight, and we had a real problem," he said. "We had a real problem with her.”
The day after the debate, Trump defended fat shaming Machado, telling "Fox and Friends" that "she was the worst we ever had." “She was a winner, and she gained a massive amount of weight, and we had a real problem," he said. "We had a real problem with her.”
16
That he'd be good for women.
Carolyn Cole via Getty Images
“I’m going to be really good for women,” Trump said in March. “I’m going to be good for women’s health issues.” And that claim may be the biggest insult of all.
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.
