Trump faces 'critical questions' over curious timing of rape-accused pal's firing

Lawyers for a woman accusing Donald Trump’s longtime friend Paolo Zampolli of rape want answers about whether her allegations helped bring his time in the administration to an abrupt end, PunchUp reported Friday in an exclusive.

Zampolli was dismissed as a special envoy on Oct. 15, just 10 days after the outlet and the Daily Beast revealed Victoria Drake’s allegations. Her attorneys now want to investigate what White House and State Department officials knew and whether her lawsuit influenced his removal.

“We will include in our litigation efforts to answer numerous critical questions relevant to the case, including the relationship between Ms. Drake’s claims to Mr. Zampolli’s termination,” her attorney, Jesse Weinstein, told PunchUp.

Drake alleges Zampolli gave her a drink at his Manhattan townhouse in October 2023, after which she lost consciousness, the outlet reported. She says she briefly awoke to find him sexually assaulting her with his hands around her neck.

Zampolli denies the allegations.

But his departure from the White House followed what PunchUp described as the “dramatic leaking of emails detailing a bitter, long-running feud” with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

Weinstein said those disclosures also demand scrutiny.

“The timing of both the leaked State Department emails immediately preceding Mr. Zampolli’s termination and Ms. Drake’s lawsuit are of particular interest to us as we strategize the litigation,” he said.

Zampolli disputed any connection between the allegations and his dismissal.

“At no point was I told that the Daily Beast reporting, Victoria Drake’s allegations, or her lawsuit played any role in the decision,” he told PunchUp.

“I discussed my departure directly with the president,” he added. “We agreed it was time for my next chapter.”

The White House referred PunchUp to the State Department when asked whether the lawsuit contributed to his dismissal. A spokesperson said it “does not comment on internal personnel matters.”