Amidst a flurry of new book releases detailing the behind-the-scenes world of the Trump presidency, and almost none of them are flattering, comes the “memoirs” of former Donald Trump White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Speaking for Myself. Even in a book not meant to be a controversial expose on the president, instances of sexual harassment and boorish behavior are included in the story-telling because Trump is involved.
Trump told Sarah Sanders to 'take one for the team' after Kim Jong-un wink https://t.co/aRR1GIljRy
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 2, 2020
In the early days of the Trump administration, the president pushed for a conference with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and a meeting in Singapore was set for June, 2018. At that meeting, Sanders said that the North Korean leader openly stared at her and appeared to wink. What she describes afterward is workplace harassment, whether or not it bothered her at the time.
According to The Guardian:
‘Donald Trump told Sarah Sanders she would have to “go to North Korea and take one for the team”, after Kim Jong-un winked at the then White House press secretary during a summit in Singapore in June 2018.
‘“Kim Jong-un hit on you!” a delighted Trump joked, according to Sanders’ new memoir. “He did! He fucking hit on you!”’
"Kim Jong Un hit on you!" the president said, according to the former White House press secretary's new book. https://t.co/9AERA2ZFHF
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) September 2, 2020
The president, who has described his wife as a “piece of a**” and laughed when radio show host Howard Stern referred to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, the same way, did not appear to be concerned with the overtones of his “joke” for a female in the workplace. Instead, he was joined by others in laughing at the comment.
‘Somewhat in the manner of leaked sections that took aim at the former national security adviser John Bolton after he turned on Trump, Sanders does describe boorish or misogynistic behavior by the president and senior aides that may make campaign aides wince, particularly as Trump trails Joe Biden among women.
‘Of the incident with Kim, whom Trump courted assiduously in the first two years of his presidency, Sanders describes a session at the Singapore talks in which the dictator “reluctantly” accepted a Tic Tac from Trump, who “dramatically blew into the air to reassure Kim it was just a breath mint” and not a capsule of poison.’
Sarah Huckabee Sanders reportedly said the Trump told her to “Take one for the team” after Kim Jong Un winked at her at a Summit.
Believe all women also includes women you don’t like.#MeToo
— Baby Posh Spice (@McnabbMC2991) September 2, 2020
Even when Sanders directly asked Trump to stop, he continued and was joined by then-White House chief of staff John Kelly. To be a woman in high positions of power is difficult enough; to be a woman in the Trump administration is revealed in these pages as being a target for sexual comments.
‘Sanders, a devout Christian who discusses her faith throughout her book, does not spell out the presidential expletive. But she does write that she told Trump that was not what she meant, and said: “Sir, please stop.”
‘Kelly backed up the president and Trump joked: “Well, Sarah, that settles it. You’re going to North Korea and taking one for the team! Your husband and kids will miss you, but you’ll be a hero to your country!”
‘Trump and Kelly, Sanders writes, “howled with laughter” as the car drove on.’
For those of you who had "Patriarchical authoritarians trade on the sexuality of White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders" on their 2020 bingo cards. https://t.co/2vntC4LSUA
— Robert Rutledge (@rerutled) September 2, 2020
