Meghan Markle vs Donald Trump: tracing every shot fired throughout the long, bitter feud between the US president and UK’s Duchess of Sussex
There’s no love lost between US president Donald Trump and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle – that much is obvious. But their latest stinging swipes have escalated the mutual simmering dislike to a boiling point.
Their powerful positions have given them access to unprecedented platforms, allowing them to exert influence over what many have described as the most important moment in America’s history: the 2020 US presidential election.
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Meghan takes the first shot
Yes, the queen has also previously asked people to vote. But in her own country. And yes, the couple did not endorse a candidate per se, instead speaking about the importance to make a mark and addressing “misinformation” and “online negativity.” But many still saw the move as an endorsement of Democrat Joe Biden and a not so subtle poke at Republican Donald Trump.
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Trump claps back – hard
A reporter asked Trump about the video during a press conference. He did not hold back, even taking a stab at Markle’s marriage.
Hang on, hasn’t Markle also taken shots at the royal family?
Although the duke and duchess’ video was slammed by some for breaking royal tradition, the tension has been building between Markle and the royal family since she took part in a virtual voting registration event for Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” campaign in August. She also hinted at being muzzled in an interview with Marie Claire.
“I know what it’s like to have a voice, and also what it’s like to feel voiceless. I also know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard,” the duchess said. “And that opportunity, that fundamental right, is in our ability to exercise our right to vote and to make all of our voices heard.”
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Meghan and The Don have a history of beef
This isn’t the first time the two have taken shots at each other. Back in 2019, ahead of an official visit to the UK, the US president was caught off guard after being asked about comments Markle had made about him.
In 2016, before getting tied up in royal life, Markle said that Trump was “misogynistic” and “divisive”.
“Yes, of course Trump is divisive, think about female voters alone, right?” the duchess said in her interview with The Guardian. “I think it was in 2012 [when] the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points. That is a huge number. As misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it – that is a huge chunk of it.”
Trump was surprised by the comments, calling her “nasty” in an interview with The Sun.
Things were so awkward, the two were kept apart
Given the sensitive nature of diplomatic relations between the UK and the US, reports at the time indicated that Markle was “kept away” from Trump during his 2019 official visit. Although the PR spin was that she was on maternity leave, insiders hinted that it was an orchestrated decision to avoid a confrontation.
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The couple retaliated, denying that they had any intention to ask for money from the US, saying their security and move would be privately funded.
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Since first sparring in 2012, Markle has labelled Trump ‘misogynistic’, while the US President has called the actress ‘nasty’ and made derisive comments about her marriage to Prince Harry – and as the 2020 US presidential election looms, the feud between is reaching boiling point