POLITICS

Donald Trump Goes on Twitter Rant Against Alicia Machado: "Check Out Sex Tape"

7:31 AM PDT 9/30/2016 by THR Staff

John Sciulli/Getty Images for NALIP

Hillary Clinton responded by saying Trump was "unhinged" and asking "What kind of man stays up all night to smear a woman with lies and conspiracy theories?"

Shortly after 3 a.m. ET on Friday morning, Donald Trump started tweeting about former Miss Universe Alicia Machado and his presidential rival Hillary Clinton, insulting both women in a series of tweets.

"Did Crooked Hillary help disgusting (check out sex tape and past) Alicia M become a U.S. citizen so she could use her in the debate?" he asked. He did not offer proof of how Clinton theoretically could have helped Machado become a U.S. citizen.

Hillary Clinton responded with her own series of tweets, saying his rant was "unhinged" and asking "What kind of man stays up all night to smear a woman with lies and conspiracy theories?"

Machado went on Instagram to respond to Trump, writing a message in Spanish that says he is trying to slander her with lies in an attempt to humiliate and intimidate her. Machado said the lies Trump is spreading are based on false reports distributed by yellow journalism. She said the reason she became a citizen is because her daughter is born in this country and because Machado wanted to have the rights of a U.S. citizen, one of them being the right to vote. 

 

"El candidato republicano y su equipo de campaña nuevamente están generando ataques, insultos e intentando revivir difamaciones y falsas acusaciones sobre mi vida. Todo eso con la finalidad de intimidarme, humillarme y desequilibrarme una vez más. Los ataques que han surgido son calumnias y mentiras baratas generadas con malas intenciones, que no tienen fundamento que han sido difundidas por medios amarillistas. Ésta, por supuesto, no es la primera vez que enfrento una situación así. Por medio de su campaña de odio, el candidato republicano insiste en desacreditar y desmoralizar a una mujer, lo que definitivamente es una de sus características más aterradoras. Con esto, busca distraer la atención de sus reales problemas y de su incapacidad para pretender ser el líder de este gran país. Cuando era apenas una jovencita, el ahora candidato, me humilló, me insultó, me irrespetó públicamente, como lo hacía usualmente de forma privada de la forma más cruel. Así como esto me pasó a mí, es claro a través de los años, que sus acciones y conductas se han repetido con otras mujeres durante décadas. Por lo tanto, seguiré de pie, compartiendo mi historia, mi apoyo absoluto a la señora Clinton en nombre de las mujeres, de mis hermanas, tías, abuelas, primas, amigas y la comunidad femenina. A mis latinas y en general, quiero agradecerles todo el apoyo, el amor y el respeto, a mi carrera, a mi persona como ser humano y a mi familia. Yo me hice ciudadana de este gran país porque aquí nació mi hija y porque quería ejercer todos mis derechos, entre ellos votar. Continuaré de pie, firme en mi experiencia vivida como Miss Universo y ustedes conmigo apoyándome. He estado tan complacida por tantas palabras amables, por tanto amor. Yo estoy centrándome en mi ocupada carrera, en mi labor de madre y voy a seguir dando pasos positivos para la comunidad latina, seguiré como activista en pro de los derechos de la mujer y el respeto que nos merecemos. Aprecio todo su amor y todo su apoyo nuevamente, gracias". Miles de bendiciones.

A photo posted by Alicia Machado (@machadooficial) on

Trump, in his early morning tweets, said Clinton was "duped" and had "bad judgement" for bringing Machado up in the first presidential debate. Clinton talked about Machado in the debate as a way of pointing out Trump's poor treatment of women. Trump allegedly called Machado "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping" after she gained weight following her 1996 Miss Universe win.

The morning after the debate Trump doubled down on his comments about Machado, saying she "gained a massive amount of weight" after winning Miss Universe and it was "a real problem."

It's unclear what "sex tape" Trump was trying to refer to in his early-morning rant. It could be the false reports lacking evidence that Machado starred in porn movies. Or a 2005 Spanish reality show Machado starred in where she was filmed in bed with a male contestant. Trump may also be alluding to allegations of crime in Machado's past. (She was not charged.)

Trump also raged against the media for using anonymous sources.

The Republican presidential nominee has used anonymous sources himself in the past.

Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta tweeted about Trump's rant, saying that reaching for the phone in the middle of the night is not suggested.

Here's a look at Clinton's response in full:

 

Nearly 12 hours after his Twitter spree began, Trump posted a message to the social media platform, invoking Clinton's 2008 ad in which she portrayed herself as the best candidate to pick up an urgent call to the White House in the middle of the night.