The Real Housewives of Potomac star Stacey Rusch is clarifying her relationship status, both past and present, with Chris Samuels amid those relentless dating rumors.
“I know Chris socially, and that’s it,” Stacey exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, October 24. “And I think that you will see, as we go about through the season, how there are many things that Ashley [Darby] will say that are not true.”
She continued, “We can talk about accusations all day long. But again, I know who I am. I know my relationships with my friends, and he’s a friend, and I know him socially.”
Stacey’s fellow castmate Ashley had previously accused her of trying to hook up with Monique Samuel’s ex. Despite what Stacey said is an unfounded rumor, the reality TV star described Chris as a “great guy” and dished on what it was like to film alongside Monique.
‘RHOP’ Season 10 Trailer Features an Unforgettable Letter to Karen Huger
“She’s a lot of fun,” Stacey said of her costar. “Yeah, a lot of fun. I didn’t have the opportunity to meet her until we started filming together and, yeah, she’s a good time.”
The dating rumors are just one of many drama-filled moments in the new season of The Real Housewives of Potomac — a rollercoaster of a series that Stacey isn’t afraid to weather despite the non-stop gossip and drama.
“I mean, I am a very pleasant and peaceful woman, but, you know, I’m going to stand up for myself,” she told Us. “So if you want to throw it at me, sometimes, you know, I catch it and throw it right back and you will receive it right in your hand.”
Season 10 of the hit Bravo show also added Angel Massie and Tia Glover to the cast — what Stacey told Us was a welcomed addition.
“I love the new girls,” she gushed to Us. “I think that they have beautiful stories to be told. I think they have adorable families, and I think that people will fall in love with them the more they get to meet them.”
Still, there is one familiar face that is absent this season — Karen Huger — and it’s an absence Stacey told Us is palpable.
“You know, we had a great season and a full season. I mean, we’re only four episodes in, and look at everything that has happened, right?” she explained. “But Potomac is not Potomac without Karen Huger. So, I don’t know what her decisions are, but I think it’s safe to say that we would all be happy and welcome her back.”
RHOP’s Karen Slams Costar Stacey’s ‘Sexless’ Relationship
Karen was absent from the show following her 2024 DUI conviction for her involvement in a solo crash near Oaklyn Drive in the Potomac. She was released from prison in September 2025 after serving a one-year sentence. She was originally sentenced to two years in prison, with one suspended.
When asked if she has spoken with Karen since her release, Stacey told Us, “I have not.”
“I couldn’t say that [I miss her friendship]”, she added. “Listen, you can want the best for someone and respect where you are.”
