Entertainment
‘RHOC’ Kelly Dodd Denies Ties to John J. Cafaro Amid Reflecting Pool Controversy
“The Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Kelly Dodd says her connection to Trump donor and Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool contractor John J. Cafaro starts and ends with one thing … she thought the guy looked like a villain.
Kelly tells TMZ she has no personal relationship with Cafaro whatsoever … despite a December 2025 photo showing the two together at Trump National Golf Club in Florida.
Check out the pic … Cafaro looks like Ron Burgundy in a red blazer with a big ol’ cigar hanging from his mouth … and Kelly says that’s exactly what caught her eye.
According to Kelly, she was attending an event with husband Rick Leventhal alongside Newsmax executives, President Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani when she spotted Cafaro and asked to take a photo with him.
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She tells us she thought he looked unusual and “funny” … comparing his appearance to a villain straight out of central casting.
Kelly says she had absolutely no idea who Cafaro was at the time and wasn’t aware of his name, background, or business dealings.
In fact, Kelly says she didn’t even learn Cafaro’s identity until TMZ contacted her Monday to ask whether there was any connection between them.
The old photo has drawn fresh attention as Cafaro finds himself playing a real-life villain role … in some headlines, at least. The longtime Trump donor has come under scrutiny over a $1.7M no-bid contract tied to the troubled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project.
The project has been under the microscope after algae showed up in the newly renovated pool … sparking questions about the overhaul and prompting officials to keep testing the water.
As far as Kelly is concerned, though, the story behind the photo is a lot less complicated … she says it was simply a snapshot with a guy whose look was memorable, but whose bio escaped her.