Nearly thirty years ago, Alicia Machado’s life changed overnight. Crowned Miss Venezuela in 1995 and Miss Universe in 1996, she seemed destined for global acclaim. But what should have been the pinnacle of her career quickly became a period of public humiliation.
Donald Trump, then owner of the Miss Universe pageant, mocked her weight and Venezuelan roots, calling her “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeping.” He later described her as “disgusting,” spread false claims, and even accused Hillary Clinton of helping her gain U.S. citizenship.
© AFPMachado has spoken openly about the abuse, calling out the racism, misogyny, and cruelty she endured. Her story remains a vivid example of how women in the public eye are often subjected to body-shaming and xenophobia.
The weight-shaming became a public spectacle in 1997 when Trump put Machado on a regimented fitness program at Mar-a-Lago. The 5-foot-9 beauty queen had gone from 118 pounds at the time she won Miss Universe to 170 pounds after easing up on strict diet pills and exercise.
© John ParraAt a poolside press event, Trump said, “There are a lot of people out there who have similar problems, including some of us. For people who have a weight problem, she serves as a tremendous example.”
Machado, 20 at the time, pushed back publicly. “I am no cow or something like that,” she said at 158 pounds during the Mar-a-Lago program.
© Steve EichnerDespite the pushback, the pageant went ahead with the intense plan, which included a 1,200-calorie, 29-gram-fat-a-day diet, laps in Trump’s Mediterranean-tiled pool at 8 a.m., and a mix of yoga, tai chi, shiatsu massage, and five hours of daily movement.
The goal was to shed 20 pounds in three months, and Machado insisted her effort could inspire women with eating disorders to pursue health. Yet her larger proportions sparked an international debate about beauty, perfection, and pageant culture.
© AFPNearly three decades later, in 2025, during a press gaggle on Air Force One, the president dismissed a female reporter questioning him about Jeffrey Epstein, pointing and saying, “Quiet. Quiet, Piggy.”
The nickname drew immediate comparisons to the way he had mocked Machado in 1996. At the time, Trump did not deny calling Machado “Miss Piggy,” claiming she had “gained a massive amount of weight” and that he had “saved” her from getting fired because of it.
© Davidoff Studios PhotographyMachado’s story resurfaced in 2016 during the presidential campaign. Hillary Clinton cited Trump’s treatment of Machado as evidence of his disregard for women. Machado herself told The Guardian she had become a U.S. citizen just in time not to vote for him, describing Trump’s behavior as “cruel and abusive.”
Yet, in a twist few expected, Machado has recently expressed support for Trump, this time in a very different arena. In October 2025, she publicly endorsed the president’s military operation in the Caribbean targeting Venezuela, specifically the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a criminal network allegedly run by Nicolás Maduro’s government.
© Davidoff Studios PhotographyDuring an interview with Telemundo’s Hoy Día, Machado was direct. “President Trump, all my respect, all my support,” she said. “Hopefully we can achieve this, we're trusting him. President Trump, who knows me and knows about me, should know that I'm obviously supporting him and that we Venezuelans are waiting with great hope.”
She framed her support as a matter of national interest, adding, “When it comes to my country, personal matters are put aside.”
