A Trump adviser embroiled in a high‑profile personal and legal dispute involving his Brazilian ex‑wife, Amanda Ungaro, has triggered backlash after making sweeping remarks about Brazilian women during an interview with Italian broadcaster RAI.
Italian businessman Paolo Zampolli, who serves as special envoy for global partnerships under the Trump administration, told RAI that Brazilian women are “programmed to cause confusion,” comments that were widely reported in Brazil and quickly drew criticism.
Zampolli made the remarks while defending himself against allegations from Ungaro, a Brazilian former model who has accused him of abuse. Media outlets and commentators in Brazil described his comments as misogynistic and discriminatory.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment on Friday evening.
Zampolli, who once discussed buying a modeling agency with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, appears multiple times in the Epstein‑related documents released by the U.S. Justice Department. He has insisted he did not have a close relationship with the disgraced financier who was found dead in 2019 in a New York City jail cell.
Zampolli, who has long said that he introduced Donald Trump and Melania Trump in the 1990s, has rejected Ungaro’s allegations and denied any abuse.
Ungaro’s Arrest, Deportation and Custody Dispute
Ungaro, who remarried after her split with Zampolli, was arrested during the summer in Florida on fraud‑related charges connected to running a medical spa. She has denied the allegations.
According to The New York Times, before Ungaro could be released on bail, Zampolli contacted a senior official at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who then reached out to agents in Florida to ensure Ungaro was taken into immigration custody. Zampolli has disputed that account, telling the newspaper that he merely sought information about her case. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, also denied that political influence played a role.
Ungaro was deported to Brazil in October, a development that unfolded amid an ongoing custody battle between Ungaro and Zampolli over their teenage son.
‘Hellish’ Experience in ICE Custody
After her deportation, Ungaro described what she called a “hellish” experience while in U.S. immigration detention.
In an interview with El País published earlier this month, Ungaro said she was held in overcrowded facilities, restrained during transfers and lacked access to basic hygiene. She also said that she developed a lice infestation while in custody. ICE has not publicly addressed her specific claims.
Ungaro has said the detention and deportation severely affected her ability to contest the charges and pursue custody claims in the United States.
Melania Trump and the Epstein Denial
Ungaro has drawn renewed attention in recent weeks for publicly claiming a long‑standing personal connection to Melania Trump, including her assertion that she moved within the same social circles during her relationship with Zampolli.
Earlier this month, Melania Trump issued a rare, unexpected statement denying any association with Epstein and rejecting suggestions that she was involved in or aware of his crimes.
Shortly before that, posts from an X account using Ungaro’s name vowed to expose the first lady, with one saying: “I will tear down your corrupt system, even if it’s the last thing I do in my life. I will go all the way — I am not afraid. Maybe you should be afraid of what I know … of who you are, and who your husband is.”
Another read: “I have nothing left to lose in my life. I will tear down the entire system — be careful with me b****.”
The White House did not explicitly link Melania Trump’s statement to the posts, and it remains unclear whether they were directly connected.
“Melania felt threatened, and while she did not threaten me directly, she knows that I witnessed highly compromising interactions over the course of 20 years,” Ungaro said in an interview published last weekend by the Courier‘s expanded Epstein coverage, called The Cover‑Up. “She does not know the full extent of what I know—for I lived with Paolo for 20 years.”
When Ungaro’s story surfaced last month, a spokesman for the first lady told the Times that Melania Trump “has no knowledge of, nor involvement in, the personal affairs of Mr. Zampolli and Ms. Ungaro.”
As Ungaro’s allegations, deportation and detention claims continue drawing international scrutiny, Zampolli’s comments to RAI have added a new flashpoint.
What Happens Next
Ungaro remains in Brazil, where she has continued speaking publicly about her deportation and her past ties to figures connected to the Trump orbit.
Zampolli has continued denying Ungaro’s allegations and has not indicated that he plans to retract or clarify his comments about Brazilian women made during the RAI interview. It remains unclear whether the backlash in Brazil will prompt a response from the Trump administration or affect Zampolli’s role as special envoy.
As scrutiny continues, the dispute is likely to remain in the public eye, fueled by ongoing legal proceedings and further reporting on Epstein‑related documents.
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