Melania's Alleged Response To Leaked Trump Tape Suggests They're More United Than We Thought

"October surprise" is a political phrase used to describe a salacious and/or damaging revelation that comes out about a candidate just a few weeks before election day, which could sway public opinion and therefore the election. For Donald Trump in 2016, it was the leak of the 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape in which he was heard making sexually explicit comments about women in a conversation with host Billy Bush. The defense of his comments in the days after the tape came out was that it was just "locker room talk," and so shouldn't be taken seriously. As for where that came from? Turns out it was none other than Melania Trump, standing by her man. While Melania's absence from Donald's criminal trial has led to rumblings about their marriage, this revelation about her support for him may show that she's in it for the long haul.

Michael Cohen, who is now ashamed of his longtime connection to Donald Trump, used to be Donald's lawyer and fixer, and he revealed this insight into the Trump's relationship as he testified during Donald's hush money criminal case. "The spin that he wanted put on [the "Access Hollywood" tape] was that this is locker room talk, something that Melania had recommended — or at least he told me that's what Melania had thought," Cohen testified, "and use that in order to get control over the story and minimize the impact on him and his campaign," per NBC News.

As Donald Trump's wife, the assumption might be that Melania Trump would be the one most offended and outraged at his saying that he could do what he wanted with women because, "when you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p****," via BBC News. But if her take was to give him a way to spin the whole thing, then it seems like Donald and Melania's marriage really is a united front.

Much more beyond the "Access Hollywood" tape has come out about Donald in the years since he was elected president. That includes allegations that he was involved with paying off Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal to keep them from going public with their stories about having affairs with him — the payment to Daniels was reportedly made just a few weeks after the "Access Hollywood" tape came out. Cohen testified that if the Daniels story had come out in the wake of the "Access Hollywood" tape that it would have been potentially fatal for Donald's campaign. It's those payments and their alleged cover up that's at the center of Donald's current criminal trial. There's been no public word from Melania about the case. But if she hasn't left him after all these revelations, it seems unlikely that she will.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).