Paris Hilton’s assistant can post as many cutesie memes of the socialite to Twitter as she likes, but the ease with which Hilton shrugged off Donald Trump’s sexual assault allegations and harmful rhetoric is appalling.
“I’ve heard guys say the craziest things ever, because I’m always around guys, and I listen to them speak,” she told Marie Claire in a new interview when asked about Trump’s controversial Access Hollywood tape.
Then, when pressed about the women who have accused our president of sexual assault, Hilton was equally flippant: “I think that they are just trying to get attention and get fame,” she answered. In the full unabridged interview posted by writer Irin Carmon on Twitter, Hilton went on to say that the women were “trying to get with him too,” or seeking monetary payment. Her defense of Trump is complete and dogged.
Hilton also calls herself a “feminist” in the interview, seeming to have recently embraced the word: “I just feel it’s about women’s empowerment and girl power, and I’m very into that,” she said.
Maybe so, but the accusation that women who report their sexual assaults are looking for money or fame is harmful, and propagates the false assumption that women lie about sexual assault all of the time. Hilton is longtime family friends with President Trump, but that in no way excuses his words nor his actions.
The socialite has issued an apology now for her words, Refinery29 reports, writing:
“I want to apologize for my comments from an interview I did last year. They were part of a much larger story and I am regretful that they were not delivered in the way I had intended. I was speaking about my own experiences in life and the role of media and fame in our society and it was never my intention for my comments to be misapplied almost a year later. I always believe in helping women have their voices heard and helping create an environment where women feel empowered and believe in themselves. I am deeply hurt by how this has played out and also deeply sorry. Moving forward I will continue to do what I can to be an advocate for girls and women with the hopes of providing a louder voice for those who may desperately need it.”
While it’s admirable she apologized, she does not take back or directly acknowledge her words about the women who were allegedly assaulted. It reads more like a blanket apology trying to save face than indicative of any real remorse or ownership of her words.