Cassandra Searles and Donald J. Trump
This profile summarises publicly reported allegations made by Cassandra Searles concerning Donald J. Trump. It draws on credible media reporting and publicly available statements. Allegations are not criminal findings; where responses are available, they are noted.
Last updated: 20 November 2025
Summary
Cassandra Searles, who held the title Miss Washington USA 2013, alleged that during the 2013 Miss USA 2013 pageant she was subject to unwanted sexualised comments and physical contact by Donald J. Trump. In June 2016 she made a social-media post asserting that Trump treated contestants “like cattle,” and later told media that he had grabbed her buttocks and invited her to his hotel room. Trump has denied allegations of this kind by multiple women. No criminal or civil case is publicly known to have been filed in relation to her claim, and the allegation has not been adjudicated in court.
Key Facts
• Alleged incident: 2013, during the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas. {turn0search6}
• Public disclosure: June 2016 via a social-media post by Searles; media coverage followed in October 2016. {turn0search3}{turn0search6}
• Alleged behaviour: Searles claims unwanted touching of her buttocks and comments treating contestants like “property” and “cattle.” {turn0search6}
• Trump’s response: No specific public statement responding to Searles’s allegation found; his campaign broadly denied such allegations as false or politically motivated. {turn0search5}
• Legal action: None known as of 20 November 2025.
Explanation:
These points summarise what is publicly claimed, the timeframe, how and when the allegation surfaced, the nature of the alleged behaviour, and its legal status (or lack thereof). They help the reader understand where the claim sits in the broader public record.
Timeline
2013 – Miss Washington USA / Miss USA Pageant
Cassandra Searles competed as Miss Washington USA 2013 at the Miss USA pageant, held in Las Vegas. According to media summaries, Searles later alleged that during the pageant Trump made repeated advances toward contestants, in her words, “continually grabbed my ass and invited me to his hotel room.” {turn0search0}{turn0search6}
June 2016 – Public Post
Searles posted via Facebook (later captured by media) a photo of the 2013 pageant contestants and wrote that Trump “treated us like cattle” and invited further contact. {turn0search3}
October 2016 – Media Coverage
News outlets in October 2016 published articles referencing her social-media post and summarising her claim among other pageant-related allegations against Trump. {turn0search6}
2017–2025 – No known legal developments
Searles’s name continues to appear in timelines and overviews of pageant-era allegations against Trump; however, no known court filings or adjudication specific to her claim have been identified as of the last update.
Media Coverage
Media sources include a regional news site summarising Searles’s allegations and quoting her social-media post. National outlets such as ABC News include her among lists of women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct. Some timeline articles in major international newspapers list her as a 2013 Miss USA contestant who claimed unwanted touching by Trump. Her story tends to receive less detailed coverage than allegations that led to litigation, but it is nonetheless part of the public record of pageant-era claims.
Responses and Statements
Donald J. Trump / Campaign:
No publicly identified statement by Trump specifically addressing Searles’s allegation was found during this research. His campaign, however, has generally denied the slew of allegations from pageant contestants, calling them politically motivated or false.
Cassandra Searles:
In her public posting and subsequent commentary, Searles has said that the pageant environment allowed powerful figures to treat contestants as objects, and that she felt there was little recourse at the time. She made the social-media post in June 2016 to highlight her experience.
Context and Considerations
Searles’s claim exists within the broader pattern of allegations against Trump tied to his ownership of the Miss Universe / Miss USA franchises (1996-2015). Many contestants from that era have made claims of unwanted touching, verbal harassment or backstage access issues (e.g., dressing rooms, photo-ops). Her allegation while not litigated, adds weight to the understanding of the structural power dynamics in pageant contexts, where titleholders may be vulnerable to the behaviour of owners or sponsors.
However, important limitations apply: the claim has not been legally processed, there is limited independent documentation beyond her social-media post and media summaries, and some details remain unverified. This does not mean the allegation lacks merit, but it does mean readers should note its status as unadjudicated and based on published recollections.
Conclusion
Cassandra Searles alleges that Donald J. Trump made unwanted advances and touched her during the 2013 Miss USA pageant while she was a contestant as Miss Washington USA. She went public in June 2016 via social-media post, and her name is included in media lists of allegations against Trump. Trump denies wrongdoing, and no known legal action has followed. While the claim has not been tested in court, it remains part of the public record of pageant-era allegations against Trump, highlighting issues of consent and power in beauty-pageant environments.
Sources
ABC News – “List of Trump’s accusers and their allegations of sexual misconduct”
Quartz – “All the times Donald Trump has been accused of sexual harassment or assault”
The Guardian – “Timeline: Sexual misconduct allegations against Trump”