Actress Emma Thompson made a nearly three-decade claim about President Donald Trump while speaking to film festival attendees in Switzerland.
The 66-year-old “Nanny McPhee” star joked that she could have “changed the course of American history” if she had accepted when Trump allegedly asked her out decades ago.
While speaking at the Locarno Film Festival last week, Thompson told the audience during a Q&A session about the call she got from Trump on the same day her divorce from Kenneth Branagh was finalized.
“He said: ‘Hello, this is Donald Trump,'” the actress recounted, telling the audience about the day her phone rang while she was in a trailer on the film set of “Primary Colors” in 1998.
“I thought it was a joke and asked, ‘How can I help you?’ Maybe he needed directions from someone,” she continued, according to The Telegraph. “Then he said: ‘I’d love you to come and stay at one of my beautiful places. Maybe we could have dinner.’ ”
Thompson, at the time, was in a relationship with Greg Wise, her future husband, and Trump had reportedly separated from his second wife, model Marla Maples.
“I realized that on that day, my divorce decree had come through. And I bet he’s got people looking for suitable people he could take out on his arm. You know, a nice divorcée, that’s what he was looking for,” she said at the film festival.
“And he found the number in my trailer. I mean, that’s stalking,” she added.
“I could have gone on a date with Donald Trump, and then I would have a story to tell,” Thompson speculated. “I could have changed the course of American history.”
Thompaosn was honored at the festival for her career achievements and presented with the Leopard Club Award.
What a night yesterday in Piazza Grande – with Emma Thompson and thousands of you. Thank you!
The great British actress received our Leopard Club Award, followed by the world premiere of her latest film: “The Dead of Winter”, directed by Brian Kirk.
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© CISA | Swisscom pic.twitter.com/NIgULMp5ZD— Locarno Film Festival (@FilmFestLocarno) August 9, 2025
Social media users responded with some skepticism over Thompson’s claims about the future president.
Funny how all these accusations have only come out 20-30 plus years after they have supposed to have happened ever since Trump entered politics & won the 2016 election.
— Dissident 1776. (@An89390Anglo) August 11, 2025
As if
— Gordon (@BritishValuesGC) August 11, 2025
Things that never happened. Part 4.
— Brum (@MrBrum43) August 11, 2025
Maybe he was being kind by trying to make her feel relevant
— Jules Thompson (@JulesT737) August 11, 2025
Could be, why leave it till now to mention it though
— Freddie (@R75kRW) August 11, 2025
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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