NYT: Two Women Allege Donald Trump Touched Them Inappropriately Years Ago

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the James L. Knight Center, Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, in Miami. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Two women have come forward alleging that Donald Trump touched them inappropriately, making the accusations to the New York Times in a report published Wednesday.

Jessica Leeds, now 74, told the Times in an interview that as a businesswoman traveling more than 30 years ago, she sat next to Trump on a plane ride and that less than an hour into the flight Trump reached for her breasts and then tried to reach up her skirt.

“He was like an octopus,” she told the Times. “His hand were everywhere.”

Leeds told the Times that she then relocated to the back of the plane.

After tape surfaced Friday of Trump discussing how he grabbed women by the genitals and kissed them even if they didn’t want to be kissed because he had star power, the allegations take on new resonance.

Leeds told the Times she was motivated to come forward after she saw Trump say during the second presidential debate Sunday in St. Louis that the tape was nothing more than “locker room talk” and he had never groped anyone.

The Times also spoke with Rachel Crooks who was a 22-year-old receptionist in 2005 at a real estate company that had its offices in Trump Tower. Crooks told the Times that she introduced herself to him, she shook his hand and then Trump forcefully kissed her on the mouth.

Trump vigorously denied the allegations, according to the Times, threatening to sue the newspaper and berating the reporter in an interview:

In a phone interview on Tuesday night, a highly agitated Mr. Trump denied every one of the women’s claims.

“None of this ever took place,” said Mr. Trump, who began shouting at the Times reporter who was questioning him. He said that The Times was making up the allegations to hurt him and that he would sue the news organization if it reported them.

“You are a disgusting human being,” he told the reporter as she questioned him about the women’s claims.

The Times reported that neither woman ever filed charges against Trump.

Latest DC
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: