Trump's previously circulated video emerges, suggesting he blames an accused rape victim for the alleged incident
In a re-emerged interview from 1992, Donald Trump appeared on David Letterman's show and discussed Mike Tyson's rape trial. Trump's comments, which have since gone viral, caused outrage and controversy due to their perceived defence of Tyson and apparent blame-shifting towards the victim.
Tyson was found guilty of raping an 18-year-old beauty queen, Desiree Washington. In the interview, Trump criticised Tyson's six-year prison sentence as "ridiculous," and seemed to shift blame to the victim, suggesting that she was partially responsible for the incident as she was dancing at Tyson's door at one o'clock in the morning.
Trump's remarks were criticised for their insensitive nature and for seeming to defend Tyson. In fact, Tyson served three years of his six-year sentence. The interview clip, which has resurfaced in 2025, has prompted renewed condemnation from public figures such as tennis star Martina Navratilova, who criticised Trump for defending men accused of sexual crimes.
During the interview, Letterman appeared uncomfortable as Trump made these remarks, quickly trying to move the conversation along. The interview serves as a reminder of Trump's past controversial comments and his tendency to minimise the severity of serious crimes.
As for Trump's recent tweets on Sunday, the specifics of the topics he tweeted about are not mentioned in this article. It is unclear whether these tweets have caused any controversy or reactions.
One interesting side note is that Mike Tyson was seen wearing a MAGA hat, but it is unknown whether this is something that Trump would appreciate.
Pop-culture icons, such as Mike Tyson, were prevalent topics in the 1992 interview between Donald Trump and David Letterman. Trump's debate on the fairness of Tyson's rape conviction, coupled with his blame-shifting towards the victim, ignited widespread outrage and raised questions about his views on celebrities and entertainment.
Today, Trump's tweets continue to stir conversations in the realm of pop-culture and entertainment, while the legacy of his 1992 interview with Letterman remains a key example of controversial and insensitive comments towards celebrities.