Donald Trump has often stated that he has never consumed alcohol, a claim that some former nightlife employees are questioning.
In a previous appearance on Theo Von’s podcast This Past Weekend, the topic of Trump’s sobriety was addressed.
Trump’s fondness for Diet Coke is well-known, especially with the presence of the ‘Diet Coke button’ in the Oval Office, which he has reinstated during his return to office. He has frequently been seen raising a glass of Diet Coke at various formal events.
The podcast host inquired: “I noticed at the events you don’t drink or smoke, right? You never have?” to which Trump responded: “No I never have, I had a great brother who taught me a lesson.”
Trump was referring to his brother, Fred Trump Jr., who passed away at 42 due to a heart attack in 1981.
“He smoked and drank – great guy – he was a very handsome guy – had a problem with alcohol and smoked a lot but I tell people, ‘No drugs, no drinking, no cigarettes’. I tell that to my kids all the time,” Trump remarked.
“He was someone older that you would look up to, and I did admire him. He had so much potential. He had the look, he had an unbelievable personality.”
Trump also shared with the podcaster that he could have seen himself experiencing similar issues with alcohol.
Although his sobriety is commendable, several sources have contradicted his claim of never consuming alcohol.
The 2019 book, The Method to the Madness: Donald Trump’s Ascent as Told by Those Who Were Hired, Fired, Inspired—and Inaugurated, includes accounts from bartenders, models, and club owners who provide a different narrative.
According to Vice, an infamous bartender in the 1990s known as Laraby claimed in the book: “I served him. And he drank at the bar… He would order light beer. It was usually Miller Lite or Bud Light.”
Laraby described Trump as someone who would ‘nurse’ his beer, saying: “Even if they were there for hours, he would have three beers at the most.”
Contrarily, Michael Ault, who owned Spy Bar and Chaos in Manhattan, stated Trump had a preference for other beverages: “He was drinking champagne or vodka, a liquor and not really a beer so much.”
However, one source supports Trump’s claims of sobriety, recalling the evening Trump met the future First Lady, Melania.
Paolo Zampolli, founder of ID Models, recounted in the book that they visited the Kit Kat club: “I introduced them. ‘Melania, please meet Donald’, you could see champagne and vodka on the table, but for sure Mr. Trump had only Diet Coke.”
The White House has been contacted for a comment.
If you are dealing with addiction and need someone to talk to confidentially, you can reach out to American Addiction Centers at (888) 324-0595, available 24/7, or visit their website for more information.