During an appearance on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House, Mary Trump, the niece of former President Donald Trump, discussed her new book and the escalating legal troubles faced by her uncle. Host Nicolle Wallace asked Mary about the potential implications of Trump’s third run for the presidency and his use of the slogan “I am your retribution.” Mary expressed her belief that Trump’s actions and behavior have become increasingly deviant, and she emphasized the darkness that has always been present in him. She noted that the more Trump gets away with, the darker his actions become, and his continued support and enablement by his followers only reinforce his standing among them.
Mary Trump further explained that Trump’s idea of retribution stems from his own grievances and the need to fight back against perceived slights or damage to his image. She emphasized that he cares only about himself and is willing to stoop to any level to achieve his goals. Mary reiterated her belief that there is no bottom to Trump’s behavior, and if he believes he is going down, he will attempt to bring others down with him.
The conversation then turned to the topic of sexual abuse and defamation, with Wallace noting that Mary is the only person to have laid a legal blow against Trump in that regard. Wallace inquired about the impact on Mary from hearing from other victims of sexual abuse who followed her trial. E. Jean Carroll, who collaborated with Mary on a serialized romance novel called The Italian Lesson, chimed in, sharing that they had received an overwhelming number of letters from women across the country. Carroll and her attorney, Robbie Kaplan, are discussing the creation of a platform to support and provide legal help for women who come forward with their stories.
The discussion concluded on an optimistic note, with Carroll expressing her belief that women across the country are rising up and gathering the courage to speak out. She highlighted the breathtaking stories and voices that have emerged and the imminent support that will be provided by brilliant minds in America. Carroll ended by warning that those who have oppressed women should be prepared for the growing wave of empowered voices seeking justice.
NICOLLE WALLACE: We are so happy to be back with e.g. Carol and Mary Trump. Mary, the book deals with it is delicious, as E. Jean said, but there’s some darkness. And light is all human life, and the human experience showcases not so Donald Trump. And a lot of what we know about his pathological darkness. We know from your books and the opportunities we’ve had to interview you. Barack I don’t even know the adjective to use, but but there is something so extremely deviant about this new run for the presidency. I mean, Make America Great Again was a throwback. It was racist. It was a dog whistle. But “I am your retribution” is like a Hollywood monster mash. What should the country be prepared for as he prepares to run a third time?
MARY TRUMP: You know, Nicolle, when I was I was thinking about being on the show today. I just kept thinking, you know, (French phrase). We continue to remain mired in this loop where I think a significant minority of people and the entirety of the Republican Party either think something’s going to shift or that they’re somehow going to escape unscathed. And neither of those things is true. The darkness has always been there. But again, the more he gets away with, the darker it gets, the more he’s enabled, the darker it gets. And let’s face it, I don’t know that it matters that he is, to some degree, finally being held to account, because I think on the one hand, that increases his street cred for some of his followers. And on the other hand, regardless, he will be, unless something happens, the Republican nominee for president of the United States in 2024.
NICOLLE WALLACE: Mary, what is he, what do you think he means when he says I am your retribution?
MARY TRUMP: He means he is his retribution because as has been well-established and as you well know, he doesn’t care about anybody else. This is all his grievance, his pain, his need to fight back. And, you know, with all of the cards in his back pocket, by the way, you know, with all of the help he needs, it is his desire to undo whatever damage he believes has been done to him. So this is a person and I it’s shocking to me in some ways that we still need to have this conversation, but we do. I was saying this in 2020, there’s no bottom. There is nothing he won’t stoop to. There is nothing he won’t reach for. And if it means bringing everybody down with him, if he thinks he’s going down, that’s what’s going to happen.
NICOLLE WALLACE: The only person to lay a glove on him in the legal arena is you. And again, I know from your attorney that there’s nothing you can talk about in that arena, but I wonder what you’ve heard from other victims of sexual abuse or defamation that fuels you to sort of continue to try to reach and work toward the light in these creative projects and whether there’s any sort of full circle experience in hearing from other victims of sexual abuse who watched your trial and watched how it was covered and watched how it ended.
E. JEAN CARROLL: Nicolle, you would be amazed, not only me, but Robbie Kaplan, my brilliant attorney. We had received an avalanche of letters from across the country. And Robbie and I are right now talking about creating a new platform and making it possible for women to come forward. The very act of women coming forward brings power to other women. It’s the very act of speaking up. And Robbie and I are in serious talks about giving women a platform and giving them legal help. I can’t go into it, but it there is there is a. There is help on the way and by some of the smartest minds in America. And it’s going to be brilliant and it is stunning. When you see women speaking up, how much power it gives to other women, just because I spoke up this little bit. Now, hundreds of women are right into us and say, what can they do and how can they speak up? And we’ve seen the repercussions. Already the woman in California sued Cosby, the woman in New York. It is happening across the country. I would say this is not a downer. This is an upper. And it’s we are a. We are rising up. And the voices, the stories, Nicolle, are breathtaking. They’re just breathtaking. Women across the country, they’re gathering courage. And I just got to say, watch out.
