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Oprah to Marla Maples: Is Donald Trump Controlling?

Aired on 10/28/1992 | CC
In 1992, Marla Maples spoke candidly with Oprah about her highly publicized affair with famous entrepreneur Donald Trump during his marriage to his first wife, Ivana. Oprah showed Marla a clip from a 1988 interview with Donald and Ivana in which Donald had said that the couple didn't really argue, explaining, "Ultimately, Ivana does exactly as I tell her to do." Laughing, Ivana had then told Oprah that Donald was a chauvinist.

Oprah asked Marla whether she, like Ivana, found Donald to be controlling in their relationship.

"I definitely speak my mind on a lot of issues," Marla said. "I have my own set of values and beliefs, and I try to keep that separate now, even though everyone wants to judge me by what he may say. He's a very strong person. He's a very loving person, which sometimes doesn't come through when—especially when you see an interview like this."

Marla went on to explain how Donald taught her to be more ambitious and how she helped him to explore his spirituality and look inward. Marla and Donald would marry in 1993 and divorce six years later in 1999.

Original airdate: October 28, 1992