When it comes to straying from one’s marriage, former president Donald Trump ought to know a thing or two, having famously started his relationship with second wife Marla Maples, mother of Tiffany Trump, while he was still married to first wife Ivana Trump, the mother of Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka Trump. So perhaps that’s why Trump took such an interest in 2016 campaign spokesperson Jason Miller’s own extramarital affairs — though from these reported anecdotes, it sounds like the former POTUS was feeling far from introspective. According to Wall Street Journal reporter Michael C. Bender’s new Trump tell-all Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost, Trump enjoyed taking thinly-veiled shots at Miller’s widely reported affair with fellow staffer A.J. Delgado while in the company of his team, chiding his advisor for how “patient” his wife had been with him throughout.
Describing an Oval Office gathering after the 2020 RNC, Bender records this interaction between Trump and Miller: “Trump next called Jason Miller up for a photo.”
“‘You must have the most patient wife in the world,’ Trump said.”
“It was a dig at Miller’s well-publicized extramarital affairs,” Bender writes. “[Former communications advisor Steven] Cheung felt tears welling in his eyes and turned his back and walked to the other side of the office to keep from bursting into laughter. Others couldn’t look away as Trump needled Miller.”
“‘What she puts up with I don’t understand. She puts up with a lot, doesn’t she?’ Trump said. ‘I don’t know how he keeps her. That’s why he’s good at his job, I guess.'”
Bender points out that Miller could have made similar digs about Trump’s current wife Melania, but chose not to: “If Miller was tempted to return fire on the thrice-married Trump, he kept it to himself.”
“‘You’re very right, sir,’ Miller said through a half smile. ‘She’s fantastic. She’s very patient.'”
Miller’s affair with Trump transition staffer A.J. Delgado was confirmed to Page Six in August 2017 as Delgado hailed the arrival of their child together, baby boy William, on Twitter and Miller gave a statement seeming to confirm that his wife, who had been pregnant at the time of his affair, was on board with welcoming William to their family.
Dear friends: Beyond thrilled to share with you that I'm now the proud mother of a beautiful son (!), William!!! Born 7/10
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) August 8, 2017
“My wife and I, along with our two daughters, are excited to welcome William into the world and into our family, and we appreciate the well wishes we’ve received from so many,” Miller told Page Six at the time.
Nine months earlier, he had turned down the opportunity to become Trump’s White House communications director, a role later filled by Sean Spicer, citing a need to spend time with his family.
“It is clear they to be my top priority right now and this is not the right time to start a new job as demanding as White House communications director,” his statement read, per Politico. “My wife and I are also excited about the arrival of our second daughter in January, and I need to put them in front of my career.”
Miller later re-joined Trump’s team in 2020 as senior advisor on his re-election efforts, at which point the then-POTUS took to referencing his affairs. In a post-presidential interview with Bender at Mar-a-Lago, Trump still couldn’t resist.
“He asked Margo Martin and Jason Miller, two members of his press team present for the interview, to sit with me on the terrace,” Bender writes.
“‘He’s not dating,’ Trump said about Miller. ‘He’s got a wonderful wife at home, so what the hell?'”
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