LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Jessica Drake is everything you’d expect a classic porn star to be: a statuesque blonde bombshell outfitted in a see-through, skintight one-piece with black pasties obscuring her nipples. As such, she boasts one of the longest lines of fans at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo—the largest porn industry trade show in America, boasting some 25,000 attendees (more than half the size of the Sundance Film Festival). Yet Drake’s porn star notoriety and diligent efforts to become a renowned sexpert were momentarily eclipsed when she came forward as the 11th woman to accuse then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump of sexual assault—even after he threatened to sue his previous accusers.
As of Friday, her alleged attacker is now the 45th President of the United States.
According to Drake, while doing promotional work for the porn company Wicked Pictures at a celebrity golf tournament hosted by Trump in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, the then-real estate magnate—who’d been married to current First Lady Melania Trump for less than a year at the time—made a pass at her.
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“He flirted with me and invited me to walk along the golf course with him, which I did,” Drake said during a televised October press conference with her celebrity attorney, Gloria Allred. “During that time, he asked me for my phone number, which I gave to him. Later that evening, he invited me to his room. I said I didn’t feel right going alone, so two other women came with me.”
Then, she claims, things got out of hand. “When we entered the room, he grabbed each of us tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking permission,” Drake continued. “He was wearing pajamas. A bodyguard was also present. He asked me about details on my job as an adult film star—about shooting porn—and he also asked us about our personal relationships and whether we were married or single. We answered his questions. It felt like an interview. About 30 or 45 minutes later, we left his room.” Drake further alleges that “Donald or a man on his behalf” called her after the encounter offering her $10,000 for sex. She says she declined, but never forgot the supposed episode with a man she labeled a “sexual assault apologist.”
On the floor of the convention, Drake graciously excused herself from signing autographs to chat briefly with The Daily Beast. Despite her practiced poise, there was a sense of nervousness about disclosing too much regarding her allegations against President Trump.
“It’s somewhat frustrating that I can’t comment on that right now,” says Drake who is deeply concerned about the politics of the Trump administration. “It’s something we all should be talking about right now. We need to be as proactive as we can. As we have these confirmation hearings it’s of the utmost importance to pay attention to what’s happening because it will affect everyone. As it gets closer I have more emotional feelings. I’m getting anxious and nervous and I’m watching other people share those feelings with me, even here at AEE.”
Drake has noticed a divide amongst fans and the other people she’s encountered on the convention floor. There’s a sense of uneasiness in the crowd—one she can’t ignore. “It’s an interesting dichotomy. People want to come out and meet us and be sexy, and then there are people concerned with the possible loss of rights—rights we’ve worked so hard for.”
Change is necessary, says Drake, who remains a staunch advocate of social awareness.
“We need to speak out, and it starts with being aware of the situation and the threat it poses,” she declares. “Contact your local representatives, sign petitions, we need to show up and stand up for causes that we believe in. It’s imperative right now because our very livelihoods are at stake. Our jobs, immigration issues, LGBT rights, women’s rights, these are our human rights and we need to focus on that. As an industry we’re learning about demanding accountability and once we model that behavior others will follow.”
