Photo-Illustration by Newsweek/ Associated Press/ Getty/ Netflix
By Jenni Fink
Senior Editor
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For years, Hollywood and many celebrities have sought to distance themselves from President Donald Trump and past associations with him. But Netflix’s newest reality show, Members Only: Palm Beach, has women jockeying to establish their closeness to him and his exclusive club, Mar-a-Lago.
The show’s release comes as Netflix is trying to finalize a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery that would give it control of its streaming service, HBO Max. Given that Netflix could end up with over 50 percent of U.S. mobile app monthly streaming users, the merger needs regulatory approval from the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, Amazon is set to release a reported $40 million documentary about first lady Melania Trump at the end of January, signaling a shift in Hollywood’s approach to the Trump family.
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From the first episode of Members Only: Palm Beach, the women make it clear that Mar-a-Lago is the ultimate status symbol and the be-all and end-all of high society in Palm Beach, Florida. Throughout the season, it seems as if the women can’t go more than a few minutes without mentioning the private club. They even drive by it, commenting on how attractive the security guards are.
Photo-Illustration by Newsweek/ Associated Press/ Getty/ Netflix
Romina Ustayev, one of the principal cast members, came to America from Uzbekistan at five years old and spends the first season trying to learn the rules of Palm Beach society. Coming under criticism from the rest of the women for apparently breaking these rules, her husband, Roman Ovrutsky, questions if it’s worth it just to rub elbows with some of the most powerful people in the country.
“It’s so much pressure to try to fit in, and I want to because I love going to Mar-a-Lago and being in the same room as the president and Elon Musk, that is such an amazing feeling. You feel like, oh my God, you made it,” Ustayev says on the show.
Ustayev was brought into the circle by Rosalyn Yellin, who she knew through her cousin from their time living in Pennsylvania. Yellin, who’s been a member of Mar-a-Lago for years, took Ustayev to the club one night when Trump was there. Ustayev posted on Instagram a video of the president feet away from their table and thanked Yellin for helping to make “some of my dreams come true” by having dinner next to Trump.
While the other women repeatedly tell Ustayev that what she’s wearing to Mar-a-Lago is inappropriate, Ustayev fires back at one point in the show that she looked good enough that Trump came over to take a photo with her.
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Presidential Connections
Much of the criticism toward Ustayev comes from castmate Gale Brophy, the self-proclaimed “Queen of Palm Beach.” In one scene, co-stars Taja Abitbol and Hilary Musser tell Ustayev to not put too much stock in the remarks. Abitbol says Brophy was vaping in Trump’s face at Mar-a-Lago, despite her constant comments about etiquette.
Brophy is also accused during the show of using her connection to the president to boost her status. Brophy tells the women that Trump’s first wife Ivana was one of her “best friends” and that she bid against Trump to buy Mar-a-Lago. This story comes under scrutiny from Abitbol, who says Trump didn’t seem to remember her when they were at the club.
“All I know is that Gale almost got escorted out by the Secret Service because we saw Trump walking by and she went over to him and she said, ‘Do you remember me?’” Abitbol claims during a confessional interview on Members Only: Palm Beach.
“He obviously, clearly did not remember her, even though she claims she was bidding against him for Mar-a-Lago.”
Trump bought the estate in 1985 for $10 million, which one cast member says wasn’t that expensive in an apparent dig at Brophy for being unable to beat Trump’s bid. Decades later, Mar-a-Lago’s value would be at the center of a civil case in New York. In 2023, a judge found Trump liable for fraud for inflating the value of properties, claiming Mar-a-Lago was worth up to $27 million on tax forms and $400 million on personal statements.
Abitbol told Newsweek the incident she was referencing took place at Yellin’s birthday party, which was held at Mar-a-Lago. She said the president came in as the women were leaving, and Brophy said, “There’s my friend Donald Trump,” and told the women they both bid on the club at the same time. “The Secret Service had to push her away and it was very embarrassing,” Abitbol said. “Just unbelievable. Unreal.”
Aleta Sliwa St. James, one of Brophy’s friends, told Newsweek that she’s “personally witnessed” the longstanding friendship between the Trumps and Brophy.
“On many occasions, Mr. Trump publicly acknowledged Gale and approached her table during these events. I have also personally had dinner with Gale and Ivana Trump at Mar-a-Lago,” she said.
Brophy told Newsweek that she and Trump have had a relationship for decades. She also shared a recommendation letter that he wrote for her in 2008. The letter said he’s known Brophy for over 20 years and that her integrity is “of the highest order.”
“As a personal friend, I am comfortable with giving Gale a wholehearted recommendation on all levels,” Trump wrote.
Trump isn’t the only president Brophy claims to have had a close personal relationship with. She tells a story on the show about how her son was almost kidnapped and, instead of calling 911, which she says she couldn’t get through to, she called then-President Bill Clinton for help.
Brophy told Newsweek that the kidnapping call ended up being a hoax by her housekeeper, who was hoping to
get a $100,000 ransom.
Viewers Respond
The show’s regular references to how much the women love Trump has turned some viewers off. Online comments range from people questioning how Ustayev, an immigrant, could be a Trump supporter to others calling Members Only a bad Real Housewives knock off. Comedian Chris Burns called the women “worse” than Real Housewives of New York’s Ramona Singer—a known Trump supporter—over their political leanings. “Great way to make people wanna vote blue!!!” Burns captioned a video reviewing the show.
However, Members Only has certainly generated a following, even if it is possibly fueled more by curiosity than loyal fandom. The show was in Netflix’s top 10 daily TV shows a week after it premiered on December 29. And at least some viewers are loving it, calling it “deplorable” in the best way possible—a nod to Trump supporters affectionately calling themselves “deplorables.”
While the cast members seemingly can’t go long without bringing up Trump or Mar-a-Lago, not all of them are putting their money or vote behind him. Yellin, Ustayev and Brophy appear to be the only cast members to have donated to Trump’s campaigns. Yellin and her husband, Jonathan, each gave Trump $2,500 during the 2024 election, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by Newsweek. Brophy gave $200 and Ustayev gave $500 during the 2020 election. Almost all of the women are registered Republicans, according to records reviewed by Newsweek, but not all of them voted in the last election.
Cast member Maria Cozamanis’ status is listed as “inactive,” with her last vote being cast in the 2016 presidential election. Abitbol doesn’t even appear to be registered to vote, according to records.
As for Mar-a-Lago, Abitbol told Newsweek she doesn’t have a membership because she wouldn’t use it enough. However, she said she and her husband, former New York Yankees pitcher David Cone, who has golfed with Trump, may become members one day. Abitbol doesn’t think politics has hurt Trump in his adopted hometown of Palm Beach.
“I think that ever since he became president, there is such a higher demand for the membership of Mar-a-Lago,” Abitbol said. “[The Trumps] definitely added to the panache of the whole Palm Beach and what I call Fantasy Islands lifestyle.”
That’s despite Trump announcing before the 2024 presidential election that the price of Mar-a-Lago membership was being raised from $700,000 to $1 million—which doesn’t include annual fees or use of the spa, restaurants or other amenities.
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Social Value
Hilary Musser, who can see the club from her house, said that despite the women bragging about being connected to Mar-a-Lago, some of their connections aren’t that deep. “I’m sorry but Gale Brophy does not belong to Mar-a-Lago. Rosalyn’s only belonged there for four years,” Musser says on the show. “I’m allergic to phony.”
Brophy says she’d been going to Mar-a-Lago since before Trump owned it and that she’s still a member but her membership is on “pause”—something she told Musser they do “for her” even though it’s not usually offered to people.
“I’ll call and find out,” Musser says. “You pay or you don’t pay. You don’t get to not pay and then come back. It doesn’t work like that.”
Musser and Brophy butt heads earlier in the season when they go tit for tat on their ties to Trump. While on a boat, Musser suggests that Brophy get Musk to donate a trip to the moon for a charity event. Musser acknowledges that she doesn’t know Musk, although she walks within “two feet of him 10 times a month.”
“I know Donald but I would never ask him to ask Elon,” Musser tells Brophy, adding that she’s known the president for 30 years.
All of the women have posted photos from Mar-a-Lago, although Brophy told Newsweek she doesn’t post frequently with the president because of how politically charged the environment is.
And while the proximity to Trump didn’t win the women many points in show reviews or with some fans, with all the cast members vying for the title of “Queen of Palm Beach,” it appears Mar-a-Lago is the most sought-after currency.
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