Trump Sexual Assault Allegations: These Are the Women Whose Stories Have Not Brought Down the President

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President Donald Trump looks on during a rally at the DeltaPlex Arena on December 9, 2016, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. More allegations of sexual misconduct have come out against Washington insiders. Lurking behind these allegations... Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Another D.C. insider has been accused of sexual misconduct—The New Yorker said on Monday that Ryan Lizza, the magazine's Washington correspondent, was fired after engaging in "improper sexual conduct."

Lizza has denied these allegations, but he's the latest powerful Washington, D.C., insider who has been fired, or stepped down, as the #MeToo movement—and the sexual harassment that fuels it—continues. With Lizza, the recent list now includes Arizona Republican Representative Trent Franks, who resigned after an ethics investigation revealed that he offered to pay his female subordinates to carry children for him and his wife; Michigan Democratic Representative John Conyers Jr., who retired after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct were lodged against him; Minnesota Democrat Senator Al Franken, who quit following multiple sexual misconduct allegations; and many others in state and local legislatures.

Yet the nation's top elected official remains in office.

Nineteen women who have accused President Donald Trump of prior sexual misconduct, detailed their accounts at a news conference on Monday—a reminder that while allegations of sexual misconduct can shake the corridors of power in D.C., the reverberations don't reach the Oval Office. But the allegations by 18 women who are coming forward by name are substantial:

Kristin Anderson

Anderson told The Washington Post that she met Trump in Manhattan in the early 1990s when, one night at a nightspot, he slipped his fingers up her skirt and touched her through her underwear without her consent. The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Mariah Billado

Billado was a Miss Teen USA contestant representing Vermont when Trump walked in on her and other contestants while they were changing, she told BuzzFeed News in October 2016. The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Lisa Boyne

Boyne met Trump at a restaurant in Manhattan in 1996 when, she told The Huffington Post, Trump and modeling agent John Casablancas made them walk across the table if they wished to leave, and looked up their skirts and commented on their genitals as they did so. The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Rachel Crooks

Crooks met Trump outside an elevator in Trump Tower in New York City in 2005. She told The New York Times that Trump shook her hand, wouldn't let go, and tried to kiss her on the cheeks and mouth without consent. Trump denies this allegation.

Tasha Dixon

Dixon was a 2001 Miss USA pageant contestant representing Arizona when Trump would walk in while they were changing, she told CBS News' Los Angeles affiliate. The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Jessica Drake

Drake met Trump during a 2006 golf tournament when he grabbed her and another woman "tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking permission," she said during a press conference in 2016. Later Trump asked her to accompany him to a dinner party, and when she declined, offered her $10,000. The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Jill Harth

Harth told The Guardian that Trump groped her under the table when she and George Houraney, her romantic and business partner at the time, were at dinner together. She says his unwanted advances continued at Mar-a-Lago in 1997 when he pushed her up against a wall, "had his hands all over me and tried to get up my dress again," Harth told The Guardian. She shared her allegations as part of a lawsuit against Trump, who settled out of court. The Trump organization denied this allegation.

Sad you had to go through it. My pain is everyday with bastard Trump as President. No one gets it unless it happens to them. NO one!

— Jill Harth (@jillharth) October 10, 2017

Cathy Heller

Heller told The Guardian that she met Trump in 1997 at Mar-a-Lago, where she was dining with her husband, children and in-laws for Mother's Day. When Trump was introduced to her, "he took my hand, and grabbed me, and went for the lips," she told The Guardian. He proceeded to forcibly kiss her. The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Samantha Holvey

Holvey told CNN that when she represented North Carolina at the 2006 Miss USA pageant, Trump personally inspected the contestants. "He would step in front of each girl and look you over from head to toe like we were just meat, we were just sexual objects, that we were not people," she said in the interview. "You know when a gross guy at the bar is checking you out? It's that feeling." The Trump campaign denied this allegation.

Ninni Laaksonen

Laaksonen told a Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat that Trump "squeezed" her butt backstage at the Late Show With David Letterman in 2006. Trump denied this allegation.

Jessica Leeds

Leeds told The New York Times that she sat next to Trump on a flight in 1980, when he lifted his armrest and "grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt." "He was like an octopus," she told the paper. "His hands were everywhere." Trump denies this allegation.

Melinda McGillivray

McGillivray told the Palm Beach Post that she met Trump at Mar-a-Lago during a Ray Charles concert in 2003 when Trump grabbed her butt. Trump has denied this allegation.

Natasha Stoynoff

Stoynoff wrote in People magazine that while she was reporting on Trump and Melania for a story about their wedding anniversary in 2005, Trump cornered her and forcibly kissed her. Trump denies the allegation.

Why didn't the writer of the twelve year old article in People Magazine mention the "incident" in her story. Because it did not happen!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2016

Bridget Sullivan

Sullivan told BuzzFeed News that while she was representing New Hampshire in Miss Teen USA in 2000, Trump would walk through the dressing rooms while they were changing. The Trump campaign denied these allegations.

Temple Taggart

Taggart told The New York Times that Trump kissed her directly on the lips when they first met. She was representing Utah in the 1997 Miss USA pageant at the time. She said he continued to do so when she met him at Trump Tower. Trump denies these allegations.

Ivana Trump

Ivana Trump, Donald Trump's first wife, said in a deposition during their divorce proceedings that he raped her in 1989.

Karena Virginia

Virginia told The Washington Post that Trump touched her breast at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 1998. The Trump campaign denied these allegations.

Summer Zervos

Zervos told reporters at a 2016 press conference that Trump kissed her directly on the mouth when he first met her in 2007. She said he grabbed the Apprentice contestant's shoulders, kissed her aggressively and "placed his hand on my breast." Trump denies these allegations.

Uncommon Knowledge

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About the writer


Christianna Silva is a staff writer for Newsweek covering civil rights with a focus on LGBT issues and police brutality. ... Read more

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