Controversial pop-star Michael Jackson's life has been laid bare again, this time after his death, in the recently-released documentary 'Leaving Neverland'. The HBO film details the horrors of sexual abuse the pop-star allegedly inflicted on choreographer Wade Robson, 36, and James Safechuck, 42, in mid-to-late 1980s. The allegations range from years of alleged sexual attacks, psychological grooming, and sleepovers at the singer's famous Neverland ranch.

Ever since the release of the documentary, multiple celebrities and supporters of Jackson have spoken up defending him, however, there is one voice which is peculiarly silent this time — President Donald Trump. The Republican has always been a staunch supporter of Jackson and has defended his close friend whenever the alleged sexual assaults were brought up, particularly in two separate cases, once in 1993 and in 2003 when Jackson was formally charged. The pop star was acquitted of all charged in 2005.

Trump and Jackson's friendship may appear unlikely now but the pair shared a close relationship which began in the 1980s. The two being one of the most high profile, wealthy and famous people in the 80s and 90s, moved in similar social circles. Trump and Jackson reportedly first met in 1988 when the pop star performed a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden. He reportedly lived in Trump Tower for a while in the late '80s, according to the Vulture. 

Trump continued defending Jackson after his death in 2009, and once told Larry King that he was "certain" that Jackson was not child molester. The Republican also talked about the time they spent together at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "He was a terrific guy, he was a wonderful guy,” Trump said.

Trump's defense of Jackson is recorded as recent as the 2016 presidential elections, where he said: "He was an unbelievably talented guy. He lost his confidence. He lost tremendous confidence because of, honestly, bad-bad-bad surgery. He had the worst. He had people that did numbers on him that were just unbelievable."

"Facially, you know, the plastic surgeons. He was an unbelievable talent who actually lost his confidence. Believe it or not, when you lose your confidence in something, you can even lose your talent," Trump said of Jackson. Trump's former wife Ivana Trump's memoir Raising Trump, released in 2017, also mentioned in the book about how Jackson would often drop by and would spend time with the president's children Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric.

Ivana wrote how Jackson would watch MTV, play video games or build a lego Trump Tower with her children. He also reportedly once attended Ivanka's school performance of The Nutcracker. “The only person who had an open invitation to come to the playdates whenever he wanted was Michael Jackson,” Ivana wrote. “The King of Pop lived in Trump Tower and was a good friend of the whole family. He’d stop by and chat with Donald and me for a few minutes, and then he’d go up to the kids’ floor to hang out for hours and hours.”

However, Ivana, in her book, also specified that she or a nanny was always present in the room when Jackson was with the children.