Serena Williams gets defensive about being on Trump's frequent call list: ‘I’m not going to go there'
Serena Williams refused to divulge any further details when asked about being one of the names on Donald Trump's “frequent” call list.
Serena Williams wasn't too keen on divulging her connections with former president Donald Trump when asked about being named on his frequent call list at his criminal trial in New York.
The “GOAT-ed” tennis superstar joined an interview with The New York Times on Saturday, and reporter David Marchese took the opportunity to pop the question about her relationship with the presumptive Republican nominee, who has been ruled guilty on all 34 counts of his infamous hush money trial.
Williams notably didn't take the question well and quickly retorted, “I mean, is this what this interview is about?”
The reporter persisted and expressed his curiosity about their exchanges, “When somebody has a chance to talk to a president, I'm curious what they talked about.”
Williams evidently didn't appreciate the invasion of her privacy and shot back, “I talk to a lot of presidents.” “I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know,” she added.
Yet the reporter pushed on and urged her to reveal what “they're looking for in talking to” her. “What do they want to know?” Marchese asked.
Williams curtly stopped him right there, saying, “I don't know, I'm not going to go there."
Who else except Serena Williams is on Trump's “frequent” call list?
The sportswoman unexpectedly got pulled into these conversations surrounding Trump during his recent criminal trial. A former aide outed that Williams was one of those people the former president “frequently” spoke to in early 2017 following his entry into the White House.
Madeleine Westerhout, a former executive assistant to Trump, testified in May. During her appearance, the prosecutors pulled out emails exchanged between her and Trump Organisation employee Rhona Graff.
"Could you have the girls put together a list for me of people that he frequently spoke to? I don’t want to have to bug you all the time – even though I will still call often :)” the former wrote to the latter on January 24, 2017.
Graff delivered on the promise and sent Williams an Excel spreadsheet listing everyone who'd regularly been in touch with Trump. In addition to Williams making the list, Trump family members were also mentioned. Others included Michael Cohen, who testified against Trump; former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg; and cable news hosts Jeanine Pirro, Bill O'Reilly and Joe Scarborough.
As for the final verdict of his hush money trial last month, Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts. He's all set to face off President Joe Biden in the first US presidential debate. The event will be hosted by CNN and air live on Thursday, June 27, as it takes place in Atlanta studios. No studio audience will be present at the venue.