Temple Taggart McDowell and Donald J. Trump
This profile summarises publicly reported allegations made by Temple Taggart McDowell concerning Donald J. Trump. It draws on credible journalism and publicly available sources. Allegations are not criminal findings, and where responses or denials exist, they are included.
Last updated: 20 November 2025
Summary
Temple Taggart McDowell, who held the title of Miss Utah USA in 1997, alleges that Donald J. Trump kissed her on the lips without her consent when she was 21 years old. She says the first incident took place during introductions connected to the Miss USA pageant in the late 1990s, at a time when Trump owned the Miss Universe Organization. She also describes a second encounter later that year during a trip to New York for meetings arranged through pageant or modelling contacts.
According to McDowell, Trump greeted her by pulling her close and kissing her directly on the lips, rather than offering a handshake or a kiss on the cheek. She has said that the experience left her shocked and uncomfortable, and that she felt unsure how to respond because of the power imbalance between a young contestant and the owner of the pageant. Trump denies the allegation, says he does not recall meeting her, and has stated that he is reluctant to kiss strangers on the lips. No criminal complaint or civil lawsuit has been filed based on this allegation, and it has not been adjudicated in court.
Key Facts
Key points at a glance:
Alleged incidents in approximately 1997, linked to Miss USA pageant introductions and later meetings in New York.
McDowell alleges that Trump kissed her on the lips without consent on at least one, and possibly more than one, occasion.
She first spoke publicly in detail in 2016, in print and broadcast interviews.
Trump has denied the allegation, saying he does not know her and would not behave in the way she describes.
No known criminal or civil action relating to this allegation has been filed as of 20 November 2025.
Explanation:
These facts outline the core allegation, the timeframe, the public disclosure, and the legal status. They underline that the claim concerns non-consensual physical contact, while also making clear that it remains an untested allegation in the public domain rather than a legal finding.
Timeline
1997 – Miss Utah USA and Miss USA pageant
Temple Taggart wins the Miss Utah USA title in 1997 and competes in the Miss USA pageant. Trump owns the Miss Universe Organization, which includes Miss USA, at this time. According to McDowell, during a pageant-related event in this period she is introduced to Trump as one of the titleholders. She says that instead of a handshake or a kiss on the cheek, he pulls her close and kisses her directly on the lips. She has described feeling stunned, uncomfortable and unsure how to react in that moment.
Late 1990s – New York meetings
McDowell further alleges that she later travelled to New York for meetings arranged through pageant or modelling contacts. She recalls Trump again greeting her with a kiss on the lips. She has said this second incident was sufficiently upsetting that she decided to cut the trip short and return home, choosing not to pursue further opportunities that might place her in his company.
May 2016 – First major publication of the allegation
In 2016, a major US newspaper investigation into Trump’s conduct toward women includes McDowell’s account as one of several allegations. She describes the unwanted kiss or kisses, explains why she decided to speak publicly, and notes that she was a Republican voter who did not come forward for partisan reasons. Around the same time, broadcast and online outlets report on her story, sometimes including video interviews.
October 2016 – Renewed focus during the presidential campaign
As multiple women step forward publicly that autumn, McDowell’s allegation is cited in news summaries that list and group accusations of sexual misconduct, unwanted kissing and groping. She appears at a press event with her lawyer and reiterates her account, while Trump continues to deny all allegations of inappropriate conduct.
2017 – 2025 – Ongoing reference with no legal proceedings
Throughout the years that follow, McDowell’s account continues to be mentioned in timelines and overviews of sexual misconduct allegations involving Trump. Reference works, encyclopaedia entries and broadcast explainers regularly list her among his accusers. There is no public record of a lawsuit or criminal complaint filed by McDowell based on this alleged conduct.
Media Coverage
McDowell’s allegation has been covered by multiple mainstream outlets. A major US newspaper first carried a detailed account in 2016 as part of a long-form article exploring how Trump behaved with women in private. The article described McDowell’s memories of being kissed on the lips and quoted her reasons for choosing to speak out.
Network and cable broadcasters subsequently interviewed McDowell or reported on her press conferences, highlighting her description of the events and her emotional reaction. Broad news sites and international outlets have repeated her story in their ongoing coverage of sexual misconduct allegations against Trump, often summarising her claim in a sentence or two and linking it to his time as pageant owner.
Later timelines and analytical pieces, including lists of accusers and longer historical summaries, continue to cite McDowell as the former Miss Utah who says Trump kissed her without consent when she was a young contestant. Some also mention that she said a chaperone or pageant contact was concerned enough to advise that she not be left alone with Trump again.
Responses and Statements
Donald J. Trump and representatives
Trump has denied McDowell’s allegation. He has said that he does not know who she is and that he is reluctant to kiss strangers on the lips. His campaign and representatives have broadly characterised many of the allegations that surfaced during the 2016 campaign as false or politically motivated. In general statements, Trump has insisted that he did not engage in the behaviour described by his accusers, including McDowell.
Temple Taggart McDowell
McDowell has repeated and stood by her account in interviews and at press conferences. She has said that the incident, or incidents, made her feel uncomfortable, shocked and undermined. She also explained that she chose to speak publicly to support other women and to underline that young women in positions like hers have the right to say no and to remove themselves from situations that feel wrong, even when dealing with very powerful people.
Context and Considerations
McDowell’s allegation is one of several that relate to Trump’s involvement in beauty pageants and the modelling world during the 1990s. Many of these claims concern behaviour that allegedly occurred in private or semi-private settings, without contemporaneous documentation. That means they are difficult to verify independently decades later.
The broader pattern of reporting, however, shows multiple women describing similar conduct: surprise kisses, unwanted physical contact and a sense that Trump used his position as owner or powerful figure to cross boundaries. McDowell’s account sits within that pattern. At the same time, the absence of a court case or formal investigation into her specific allegation means there has been no legal test of the evidence.
It is also relevant that McDowell has described herself as a Republican who did not speak out for partisan reasons, a point some media outlets have highlighted as part of her motivation. The social and professional dynamics of pageants and modelling work, where young women are seeking opportunities controlled by a few individuals or organisations, also form part of the context in which her allegation is understood.
Conclusion
Temple Taggart McDowell alleges that Donald J. Trump kissed her on the lips without consent during pageant-related encounters in the late 1990s, when she was Miss Utah USA and about 21 years old. Her account has been published and broadcast by major outlets and remains part of the public record of allegations involving Trump’s conduct toward women. Trump denies the allegation and says he does not recall meeting her. No legal proceedings have stemmed from this claim, and the allegation has not been adjudicated in court. As with similar cases, the incident should be viewed as an untested allegation that nonetheless contributes to ongoing public discussion about power, consent and the treatment of women in pageant and entertainment settings.
Sources
The Guardian – “Temple Taggart: Donald Trump wants to ‘silence his accusers’ with legal threats”
People – “Miss Utah 1997 Says Donald Trump Forcibly Kissed Her”
Wikipedia – “Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations – Temple Taggart McDowell (1997)”
PBS NewsHour – “All the assault allegations against Donald Trump, recapped”