Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Denounces "Nasty" Headline, Defends Trump’s Character in Light of Book Excerpt
U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican representing Florida, has publicly condemned what she perceives as a malicious and out-of-context headline published by The Daily Beast, regarding an interaction she had with former President Donald Trump. The controversy stems from an excerpt of an upcoming book, "Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power," authored by Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt, which details a moment when Trump allegedly offered Luna the use of his private jet’s bed while she was pregnant and feeling unwell.
The specific quote attributed to Trump, as reported by Axios, included a lighthearted remark about his wife, Melania Trump, being playfully possessive: "If you need a bed to lay down in, there’s one here on the plane. If you feel sick and you need to lay there, you can lay on it. Just don’t tell Melania. She doesn’t like other women on my bed." Isenstadt, in his Axios preview, explicitly noted that Trump’s comment was made in jest.
However, The Daily Beast chose to highlight the exchange with a provocative headline: "‘Don’t Tell Melania’: Trump Once Offered Rising MAGA Star His Bed." The accompanying article teased readers by suggesting that the alleged comments "cast new light on the president’s eyebrow-raising marriage to Melania Trump." While the article did acknowledge Luna’s pregnancy in the opening paragraph, it relegated the crucial context of Trump’s joke to the fourth paragraph, effectively downplaying its significance.
Adding fuel to the fire, The Daily Beast promoted the story on X (formerly Twitter) with a caption that further insinuated an inappropriate relationship between Trump and Luna: "The new revelations reveal how Trump reportedly offered a female congresswoman his bed, as long as she kept it a secret from his wife."
Rep. Luna responded swiftly and forcefully to what she considered a smear campaign. Taking to X, she stated, "I seldom respond to nasty headlines because I don’t like giving trash credibility; however, being that there is allegedly a book coming out with me named and attacking @POTUS, his marriage, our first lady, and frankly implying something distasteful about me, I am responding."
Luna then provided a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the incident. "I was very pregnant and at the time experiencing pre-eclampsia symptoms, but was not diagnosed," she explained. "As soon as @realDonaldTrump boarded the plane, being the gentleman and good person that he is, said if I did not feel well, I could use the back room. He did this in a respectful way and in front of my husband, of which we thanked him. He also assured me that they had a medical team on board in case anything happened and they were aware of how pregnant I was."
The congresswoman emphasized the compassionate nature of Trump’s offer, stating, "This was the most compassionate thing that could’ve been done at the time. I find it disgusting that the author fails to recognize that." She further revealed that she was later induced due to pre-eclampsia complications.
Luna expressed her disappointment and skepticism regarding Isenstadt’s book, noting, "The author of this book never reached out to me for comment. Which means that this book is likely going to be a s— hit piece. If people in POTUS orbit are talking to this author, they need to be cut off immediately. This is gross."
The Daily Beast’s reporting also attracted attention from the X community, with users adding a Community Note to the post, which read: "The woman in question was Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who has responded publicly to the allegation. She claims nothing inappropriate occurred, she was not asked for comment, and this situation is being presented out of context."
Fox News Digital reached out to The Daily Beast for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Axios, however, defended its reporting, stating, "In our report, Axios correctly portrayed and contextualized comments made by President Trump during an interaction that he had with Rep. Luna, an interaction she confirmed in her statement did in fact happen."
White House communications director Steven Cheung issued a scathing statement to Fox News Digital, denouncing Trump-related books, including Isenstadt’s, as "a desperate attempt to make money off of President Trump’s name because journalism is a dying industry with reporters peddling lies and selling their souls in order to make a quick buck." He added, "These works of fiction either belong in the bargain bin of the fantasy section in a discount bookstore or should be repurposed as tissue paper."
The incident has ignited a debate about the ethical standards of political journalism and the potential for media outlets to selectively present information to advance a particular narrative. Critics of The Daily Beast argue that the publication deliberately omitted crucial context to create a sensationalized and misleading story, while supporters maintain that the headline and article accurately reflected the tone and implications of Trump’s remarks.
The controversy also underscores the increasingly polarized media landscape, where trust in traditional news sources is eroding and partisan biases often influence reporting. Rep. Luna’s strong condemnation of The Daily Beast and her defense of Trump’s character highlight the deep divisions that exist within American politics and the challenges of navigating a media environment characterized by misinformation and hyperbole.
