Trump Tiptoes Around Biden Sexual Assault Claim, Calls for Dem Nominee to Respond But Adds ‘I Know All About False Accusations’
President Donald Trump offered a notably muted response when asked about the sexual assault allegations against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden at a White House press conference. Instead of attacking Biden, Trump merely said the former Vice President should publicly respond to the charges from former Senate staffer Tara Reade, while implying that he had been subject of “false accusations” of sexual harassment and assault.
“Your campaign and surrogates are going after him pretty hard with regard to the allegations from Tara Reade. What do you say to Joe Biden?” a reporter asked Trump.
“I don’t think so,” Trump said. “I don’t think that they are going after him hard with regard to Tara Reade.”
“What do you say to Joe Biden?” she followed up.
“I don’t know anything about it. I don’t know exactly. I think he should respond. You know, it could be false accusations. I know all about false accusations. I have been falsely charged numerous times. And there is such a thing,” Trump stated. In all, 25 women have claimed Trump either sexually harassed or attacked them, including E. Jean Carroll, who last year accused Trump of raping her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in late 1995 or early 1996. Trump has denied every one of the charges.
“If you look at [Supreme Court Justice] Brett Kavanaugh, there is an outstanding man. He was falsely charged. What happened with him was an absolute disgrace to our country,” Trump continued.
“I saw a man suffering so unfairly — I am talking about Brett Kavanaugh. But I don’t know, I can’t speak for Biden. I only think that he should respond, I think he should answer them,” Trump concluded.
Just minutes before Trump began his Thursday press conference, MSNBC had announced that Biden would appear on Morning Joe the following morning to specifically address Reade’s claims, which his campaign has strongly denied.
Tomorrow in a @Morning_Joe exclusive, former Vice President @JoeBiden joins @JoeNBC, @morningmika & @WillieGeist to respond for the first time to the recent allegation of sexual assault.
— MSNBC Public Relations (@MSNBCPR) April 30, 2020
Watch above, via Fox News.
