Donald Trump goes on 3 a.m. tweetstorm to attack former Miss Universe Alicia Machado: "Check out [her] sex tape"

Donald Trump is apparently awake at 3 a.m. but will probably be too busy to pick up that very important call

By Sophia Tesfaye

Senior Politics Editor

Published September 30, 2016 12:05PM (EDT)

Alicia Machado; Donald Trump   (AP/Eric Draper/Cliff Owen)
Alicia Machado; Donald Trump (AP/Eric Draper/Cliff Owen)

Days after the first general election presidential debate, it is perfectly clear that Donald Trump took the bait left by rival Hillary Clinton hook, line and sinker.

On Monday, the Democratic presidential nominee mentioned former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, who has claimed that she was fat shamed by Trump after winning her title. In the days since, the GOP presidential nominee has refused to stop his continued attacks on the Venezuelan beauty, who recently became a U.S. citizen to vote against him.

On Thursday, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway claimed that she reprimanded Trump for his attacks that risk further alienating women voters and Latino voters.

Still, the candidate was up early on Friday morning continuing his assault against the newly minted citizen. In a series of early-morning tweets, Trump directed America to check out Machado's alleged sex tapes in an attempt to smear her. Trump's first tweet was sent while everyone else was sleeping:

She “gained massive weight,” Trump told "Fox & Friends" the morning after the debate in order to explain why he referred to Machado as "Miss Piggy."

"She did not do well. She had a lot of difficulties,” he continued the next day on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor."

Trump also claimed, at the debate Monday, that he actually has a "winning temperament." This 2016 election year has officially turned into the surreal nightmare everyone knew it would become.


By Sophia Tesfaye

Sophia Tesfaye is Salon's senior editor for news and politics, and resides in Washington, D.C. You can find her on Twitter at @SophiaTesfaye.

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