After a short period of uncharacteristic restraint regarding Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's allegations of sexual assault against his Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Friday in an attempt to discredit Ford's statements.
The president praised Kavanaugh's character, decrying the allegations against him and subsequent demands from Democrats that they be investigated.
The president said that if the assault was "as bad as she says," there would be filings with state authorities. He criticized Ford's legal team for allegedly waiting 36 years to call for an investigation, despite Ford insisting she revealed the incident to no one until telling her husband of it around 2002 then elaborating on it in therapy in 2012.
Previously, the president had expressed doubt on the allegations, but still relayed that Ford should have her say. Now, many are criticizing his reversal.
Though his attacks weren't exactly a surprise.
As some pointed out, Trump's most recent attacks against Ford mirror his own relationship with sexual assault allegations.
Veteran journalist Bob Woodward's new book Fear: Trump in the White House describes an incident in which Trump advised a friend who'd admitted to inappropriate behavior towards women:
"You've got to deny, deny, deny and push back on these women. If you admit to anything and any culpability, then you're dead. That was a big mistake you made."
The president has been accused of sexual assault by well over a dozen women. He infamously bragged about committing sexual assault in a leaked recording which captured him saying, "when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p***y." As far as "pushing back" on these women goes, Trump has denied assault claims citing women's appearances. Regarding one accuser, Jessica Leeds, Trump said at a campaign rally:
“Believe me, she would not be my first choice, that I can tell you,You don’t know. That would not be my first choice...When you looked at that horrible woman last night, you said, ‘I don't think so.’ ”
Dr. Ford has been heavily criticized, harassed and threatened since going public with her allegations. While many immediately dismiss it as a hoax due to the length of time it took to come forward.
Trump's tweet this morning spurred some to enlighten him as to why that is.
Ford and her legal team are still in negotiations to coordinate her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week. The attacks lobbed from anonymous Twitter users to the President of the United States are unlikely to relent.
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