Donald Trump's Connection To New Bachelor Contestant Isn't Going Over Well

ABC's "The Bachelor" is known for having drama, but this drama surrounding a particular contestant might take the cake for the most intense pre-season drama. After the smashing success of ABC's spinoff series "The Golden Bachelor," featuring the controversial Gerry Turner as the series' first Bachelor aged 65 or older, fans of the long-running reality dating show are more amped than ever for the next season. 

For Season 28 of "The Bachelor," we'll be following along with heartthrob Joey Graziadei. He was a former contestant on Season 20 of "The Bachelorette" who was shunned by Charity Lawson during the pivotal finale. Because of his charming smile and heartbreaking stint on "The Bachelorette," Graziadei's season is quickly shaping up to be a fan favorite. As in typical "Bachelor" fashion, Graziadei will be joined on the show by a host of beautiful women who are all vying for the final rose and his marriage proposal by the end of the season.

As Season 28 gets underway, more and more facts are coming out about the contestants on the show. One contestant in particular — Marlena Haddad — has caused quite the buzz. And it all comes down to an unlikely reason: her questionable connection to former president Donald Trump.

Most contestants on "The Bachelor" make their first impressions on their new beau and TV viewers during the iconic limo arrival. But for Marlena Haddad, one of the contestants appearing on Season 28 of "Bachelor," she's coming onto the show with a bit of a bad reputation. Social media has dug up an interesting bit of information about her past, and it's got everyone talking. A Reddit post revealed that Haddad is a former White House aide to Donald Trump. The post included several pictures of Haddad at the White House, including one group shot of her and other White House staff standing beside the former president.

Haddad's connection to the controversial politician had several commenters denouncing her, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community. Bachelor Joey Graziadei's father is gay, and Graziadei has been vocally supportive of his father's decision to come out. During an interview on "Bachelor Nation," Graziadei called his father one of his favorite people. 

Many commenters on the Reddit post found Haddad's inclusion on the show to be offensive. Trump's strong stance against many LGBT+ issues, including gender-reaffirming surgery, has some believing she shouldn't have been selected to be on the show. Other Reddit users stated that Haddad's past affiliation with Trump doesn't automatically make her a bad person. "There are a lot of career-driven reasons to be a political aide," one commenter wrote. "I'll refrain from judgment until I see her calling the folks who ransacked the Capitol 'political prisoners.'"