Trump's Beer: Drinking Habits Of The Former President

Former US President Donald Trump has often claimed that he has never consumed alcohol, citing his brother's struggles with alcoholism as his reason for abstaining. However, some people, including bartenders and models who claim to have partied with him in the 1990s, dispute this assertion. They allege that Trump drank beer and other alcoholic beverages during nights out at various clubs and lounges in downtown New York City. Trump's drinking habits, or lack thereof, have been a topic of interest in the media and have even been used as a point of distinction from other political figures.

Trump's drinking habits in the 1990s

Although Donald Trump has claimed that he has never consumed alcohol, multiple sources, including bartenders and models, have contradicted his statements. Trump's drinking habits in the 1990s, specifically during his bachelorhood, were reportedly quite different from the teetotal image he presents today.

According to Laraby, a bartender at various 1990s clubs, Trump frequently visited nightclubs in downtown Manhattan, such as Spy Bar, Wax, and Chaos. Laraby recalls that Trump typically drank light beer, preferring brands like Miller Lite or Bud Light. He usually drank straight from the bottle and nursed his beer, rarely having more than three in one night. Trump's drinking companions included his friend John Casablancas, founder of Elite Model Management, and Michael Ault, a titan in clubland.

Caron Bernstein, a model who frequented clubs in the 1990s, recalled seeing Trump at Pure Platinum, a strip club on 21st Street. She described the club as a "prequel" to the other nightclubs they would visit later in the night. Bernstein also mentioned that Trump was often seen with other "old geezers" like Jeffrey Epstein.

Michael Ault, owner of the 1990s Manhattan lounges Spy Bar and Chaos, provided a similar account. He recalled that Trump drank champagne or vodka but did not recall seeing him drink beer. Ault also mentioned that Trump was a poor tipper, often leaving just a couple of dollars despite ordering expensive wine or champagne.

Paolo Zampolli, founder of ID Models, also recalled seeing Trump drinking champagne and vodka at a Fashion Week party. However, he noted that on subsequent occasions, he only saw Trump drinking Diet Coke.

Trump's public claims of sobriety

Despite being photographed drinking beer, former US President Donald Trump has often claimed that he has never consumed alcohol. In 2018, Trump stated during a press conference: "I'm not a drinker. I can honestly say I never had a beer in my life.... Whenever they are looking for something good, I say I never had a glass of alcohol."

Trump's sobriety claim is likely part of the persona he has cultivated. He has shared raunchy tales of partying in the 1970s at Studio 54, and he frequented nightclubs in the 1990s, including Spy Bar, Wax, and Chaos. According to a bartender who worked at various 1990s clubs, Trump drank beer, usually Miller Lite or Bud Light, and nursed his drinks throughout the night. Michael Ault, the owner of Spy Bar and Chaos, recalled that Trump drank champagne or vodka but did not recall him drinking beer. Paolo Zampolli, the founder of ID Models, also stated that Trump only drank Diet Coke when he met Melania Knauss, a successful model at the time.

Trump's decision to abstain from alcohol may be influenced by his brother Freddy, who struggled with alcoholism and passed away at a young age. By portraying himself as a teetotaler, Trump may want to convey an image of self-control and reliability to consumers of the Trump brand and potential lenders.

Trump's 2018 press conference comments

Helsinki, July 2018

Trump and Putin's joint press conference in Helsinki, Finland, took place after a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders. Trump described the meeting as "direct, open, and deeply productive". He also congratulated Putin on hosting the World Cup, stating that it was "really one of the best ever".

Trump went on to emphasise the importance of diplomacy and engagement, stating that a "productive dialogue" is beneficial for both the United States and Russia, as well as the world. He acknowledged the disagreements between the two countries but stressed the need to find common ground and cooperate to solve global issues. Trump also expressed his desire to improve the relationship between the two nations, which he described as being at its worst.

Trump addressed the issue of Russian interference in the US elections, stating that he spent a great deal of time discussing it with Putin, who denied any involvement. Trump also highlighted the importance of nuclear non-proliferation and expressed his belief that Russia would be cooperative in the denuclearisation of North Korea.

The two leaders also discussed counter-terrorism, with Trump acknowledging Russia's cooperation in countering a planned attack in St. Petersburg. They also touched on the situation in Syria, with Trump stating that cooperation between the US and Russia could save hundreds of thousands of lives.

Post-Midterm Elections, November 2018

In a press conference following the 2018 midterm elections, Trump celebrated the Republican Party's success in expanding their Senate majority and making gains in the House. He attributed this success to vigorous campaigning, which included holding 30 rallies in the last 60 days. Trump also credited his endorsement of certain candidates for their victories, stating that 9 out of the 11 candidates he campaigned with during the last week won their respective races.

Trump highlighted the significance of the election results, claiming that it was the largest Senate gain for a president's party in a first midterm election since President Kennedy in 1962. He also pointed out that it is rare for a president's party to gain Senate seats in a midterm election, with only four such instances occurring since 1934.

Trump expressed his eagerness to work with the Democrats on issues such as infrastructure, healthcare, lowering prescription drug costs, and trade. However, he also warned that if the Democrats choose to focus on investigations instead of policy, he would blame them for any gridlock in Congress.

Trump addressed various other topics, including the border wall, the Russia investigation, the economy, trade, and social media regulation. He also took questions from reporters, discussing topics such as staff changes, voter suppression, tax cuts, and immigration.

Trump's drinking habits at strip clubs

While Donald Trump has often claimed that he has never consumed alcohol, there are several people who claim otherwise. Caron Bernstein, a model, stated that she saw Trump at a strip club in the 1990s. She said:

> I was at clubs like eight nights a week in those days and ran with an entourage. We’d have all these club kids and models, and the night would start at a place called Pure Platinum on 21st Street, which is basically a strip club. There’d be all these girls that were known for their bodies, like Maureen Gallagher. They would get onto the poles with the strippers. It was more lax about doing drugs out in the open in public than the regular nightclubs, so we would start the night out at these strip clubs and it became a frenzy. I would see [sex offender Jeffrey] Epstein, Trump, like all the old geezers, at that place too. It would be the prequel to whatever club we were going to, like the earlier part of the night, 11:00, 11:30.

A bartender who goes by the name of Laraby, who worked at various 1990s clubs, also claimed to have served Trump alcohol. They said:

> I served him. And he drank at the bar. He’d come in with John Casablancas. He’d go to the side of the bar [at Spy] by the waitress station, because he liked the waitresses. He would order light beer. It was usually Miller Lite or Bud Light. John ordered vodka-based drinks. If they could get some large-breasted beautiful young European girl’s attention, they would get a nice bottle of wine, sometimes champagne, and move to a table. He drank his beer out of the bottle. He would nurse his beer. Even if they were there for hours, he would have three beers at the most.

Michael Ault, the owner of the 1990s Manhattan lounges Spy Bar and Chaos, also claimed that Trump drank alcohol at his establishments, saying:

> We had champagne on the table, always, and we had vodka usually, some scotch. He was drinking champagne or vodka, a liquor and not really a beer so much, but I could be wrong on the beer, I just never saw him with one.

Paolo Zampolli, the founder of ID Models, also claimed to have seen Trump drinking champagne and vodka at a Kit Kat Club during Fashion Week. However, he noted that Trump usually drinks Diet Coke.

Trump's drinking habits at nightclubs

While Trump has claimed that he has never had a glass of alcohol, there are several reports that contradict this. Caron Bernstein, a model, stated that she saw Trump at a strip club called Pure Platinum on 21st Street, where drugs were being used openly. She recalled that Trump would often be there around 11:00 or 11:30 pm before heading to a nightclub.

At these nightclubs, Trump would drink alcohol, according to the bartender Laraby and Michael Ault, a titan in clubland. Laraby stated that Trump would order light beer, usually Miller Lite or Bud Light, and that he would drink the beer out of the bottle. Ault, however, stated that he never saw Trump with a beer and that he instead drank champagne or vodka. Paolo Zampolli, the founder of ID Models, also recalled that Trump only drank Diet Coke when he introduced him to Melania Knauss, a Slovenian model.

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