Home Politics Live Opinion Trump alleged to have assaulted a woman in 1992, with Jeffrey Epstein present.

Trump alleged to have assaulted a woman in 1992, with Jeffrey Epstein present.

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Trump alleged to have assaulted a woman in 1992, with Jeffrey Epstein present.
WASHINGTON — This week, Stacey Williams publicly accused former President Donald Trump of groping her in Trump Tower during early 1993, with disgraced hedge fund manager Jeffrey Epstein reportedly present. Williams shared her account during a video meeting focused on supporting sexual violence survivors in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign.

Williams’s claims add to a long history of accusations against Trump, including those brought forth by E. Jean Carroll. Carroll has been embroiled in legal disputes with Trump since a jury deemed him liable for assaulting her in the mid-1990s and for defaming her later. Trump’s history of allegations spans decades and includes comments from the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape from 2005, where he seemed to boast about inappropriate behavior towards women.

During the video call, Williams mentioned that she first met Epstein in 1992. Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while facing serious charges related to sex trafficking, has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories since his death. Williams described an incident that occurred while walking with Epstein down Fifth Avenue in what she recalled as “late winter, early spring” of 1993, when Epstein suggested visiting Trump.

“We entered Trump Tower and went up in the elevator, and shortly after, Trump came to greet us and pulled me towards him, groping me,” she recounted. “He was touching my breasts, waist, and buttocks. I was stunned, completely confused by the situation as his hands roamed over my body.”

A spokesperson for Trump promptly dismissed the allegations as “unequivocally false” and suggested they were politically motivated. Williams noted that both Epstein and Trump appeared to be enjoying themselves during the encounter, with Trump being in his mid-40s at the time and Williams in her mid-20s.

Once they exited Trump Tower, Williams described Epstein’s furious reaction, accusing her of allowing Trump’s actions. “He berated me on the street, asking why I didn’t stop him. It made me feel disgusting,” she reflected, emphasizing the humiliation and sickness she experienced.

As Williams processed the ordeal, she mentioned feeling like she was a pawn in a twisted game between Trump and Epstein, as if she were merely a prize to be won. Following the Trump Tower incident, she claimed to have received a postcard sent by Trump, which her agent secured through courier.

Williams’s team provided visuals of the postcard, one side showing a photo of Palm Beach while the other bore a message that read, “Stacey, your home away from home. Love, Donald.” The video meeting Williams participated in was organized by sexual violence survivors’ advocacy groups, independent of the Harris campaign, which abstained from commenting on the allegations. A representative from Williams’s team mentioned there has been no communication between her and Harris’s campaign.

In a post-call interview, Williams described her encounter with Trump as “one of the strangest moments of my life.” She expressed how she felt compelled to maintain a polite demeanor, even though the experience felt surreal and disorienting. “I don’t recall if I spoke or responded to any questions,” she stated.

Although Trump has distanced himself from Epstein in recent years, he previously referred to him as a “terrific guy” in a 2002 magazine interview, mentioning their long-standing acquaintance and Epstein’s affection for attractive women. Trump has consistently denied any allegations of sexual misconduct against him, yet these claims surged to the forefront following the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape in 2016. Despite the controversies, Trump won the presidential election that year, and the allegations have not hindered his political ascent.

Williams explained to CNN that her decision to remain silent for so long was influenced by concerns for her family. “I had to be ready, and at that moment, I wasn’t,” she said. “Coming to terms with such experiences is a gradual process; it doesn’t happen overnight.”