What's Trump's "Body Count"?

Donald Trump has always been a figure of spectacle, whether in business, television, or politics. But beyond the boardrooms and rallies lies a lesser-analyzed—yet equally controversial—aspect of his public life: his long and often scandalous romantic history. While “body count” is modern slang for sexual partners, the term takes on a particular edge when applied to a man whose relationships have often overlapped with power, money, and the media.

Trump's romantic journey began in the 1970s, during his early days as a New York real estate tycoon. His first wife, Ivana Trump, was a former Czechoslovakian ski champion and model. The couple married in 1977 and became a golden pair in Manhattan’s high society. Together, they had three children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. Their marriage appeared strong from the outside, but by the late 1980s, Trump’s extramarital exploits were making headlines.

The most famous affair during that time was with Marla Maples, a Southern actress and model. Their relationship became tabloid fodder, culminating in a notorious headline where Maples allegedly called Trump “the best sex I’ve ever had.” Ivana and Donald divorced in 1992, and shortly afterward, Trump married Maples in 1993. They had one child together, Tiffany, before divorcing in 1999.

While those two relationships were legal and official, they’re only part of the story. Trump himself has, at times, bragged about his sexual conquests. In a 1991 interview with Esquire, he said, “It’s dangerous for me to even be friends with women. I have to be careful. I can’t even look at them.” He frequently boasted about his access to beautiful women, especially during his years running the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants.

That access wasn’t without controversy. Multiple former contestants have spoken publicly about Trump entering dressing rooms unannounced. Though Trump denied wrongdoing, the allegations added to his reputation as someone who blurred boundaries—especially where young women were involved.

In 2005, Trump married Melania Knauss, a Slovenian model. The couple has one son, Barron. But even during this marriage, Trump faced allegations of infidelity. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal both claimed to have had affairs with Trump in the mid-2000s. Trump denied these claims, but legal settlements and media investigations kept the stories alive well into his presidency.

Beyond confirmed relationships, there’s a cloud of alleged affairs and flirtations that trail Trump’s public image. He’s been linked—sometimes loosely, sometimes credibly—to a long list of models, socialites, and beauty queens. The full “body count” is impossible to pin down, but Trump’s own public persona has long encouraged the notion of a prolific, if not reckless, romantic past.

What makes Trump’s romantic history uniquely complex isn’t just the volume—it’s the way his relationships often intersected with power and media manipulation. Whether as a businessman using his pageants to meet women, or as a political figure weathering scandal after scandal, Trump’s dealings with women have always felt less private and more performative.

While Donald Trump has never publicly confirmed a specific number of romantic or sexual partners — and no verified figure exists — educated speculation based on interviews, biographies, and his own boasts suggests the number could be well into the hundreds, possibly between 100 and 200.

• In the 1990s, Trump was openly bragging about his sex life in interviews. In a 1991 Esquire piece and other media appearances, he often aligned himself with the Playboy lifestyle.
• In Howard Stern interviews, he discussed women in graphic terms, bragging about “sleeping with some of the most beautiful women in the world.” Stern even once joked that Trump had likely “banged more women than Gene Simmons,” to which Trump didn’t object.
• Trump ran the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants for nearly 20 years, with documented cases of him interacting closely with contestants.
• Several high-profile affairs (e.g., Marla Maples, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal) have been confirmed or strongly supported by legal or testimonial evidence.

Journalist Michael Wolff and biographer Michael D’Antonio have both referenced Trump’s prolific dating and affairs in the pre-Melania years.