President Donald Trump: A Sexist and an Assaulter

*trigger warning: discussion of sexual violence and harassment*

President Donald Trump has a questionable history with women. He has a laundry list of sexual misconduct and assault allegations, along with a history of sexist rhetoric and statements. Voters should think twice before setting aside his misogyny.

Since the 1970s, twenty-six women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct. Here are a few:

A businesswoman named Jessica Leeds accused Trump of groping her while she sat next to him on a plane flight in the 1970s. Three years after the incident, President Trump called her a c*** at a gala in New York. Trump’s response was not only that of denial but also an insult. He claimed that she was too “unattractive” for him to grope, stating, “People that are willing to say, ‘Oh, I was with Donald Trump in 1980, I was sitting with him on an airplane, and he went after me… Believe me, she would not be my first choice.’”

Ivana Trump, the President’s first wife, accused him of violently raping her in 1989. Ivana recovered violent details during their 1990 divorce deposition, describing him pulling out chunks of her hair and ripping her clothes. In 1993, Trump’s lawyer denied the allegation, responding, “you cannot rape your spouse.”

In 2016, Mariah Billado and Victoria Hughes, two Miss Teen USA contestants described Donald Trump walking in on them changing during a 1997 pageant. Trump purportedly responded, “Don’t worry, ladies, I’ve seen it all before.” The President, in fact, bragged about this behavior in an interview in 2005. He stated, “I’ll go backstage before a show and everyone’s getting dressed and ready and everything else. And you know, no men are anywhere. And I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant… they’re standing there with no clothes. And you see these incredible-looking women. And so I sort of get away with things like that.” However, during the 2016 election, the Trump campaign denied these allegations despite Trump’s near-confirmation a few years before.

Natasha Stoynoff, a People magazine writer, accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in 2005 at Mar-a-Lago. He took her into a room at the resort while his wife Melania was changing for a photoshoot. Reportedly, Trump told Stoynoff they would have a sexual affair, after forcibly pinning her to a wall and kissing her. The President unsurprisingly denied the allegation in 2016.

President Donald Trump has broadly dismissed all of his 26 allegations, stating that they were “fabricated” and politically motivated. During the 2016 election, Trump claimed, “ The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over.” He also said the victims were “women who got paid a lot of money to make up stories about me.”

Trump not only denied his own sexual misconduct allegations but also encouraged men to do the same in response to the #MeToo movement, saying, “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. … You’ve got to be strong. You’ve got to be aggressive. You’ve got to push back hard. You’ve got to deny anything that’s said about you. Never admit.”

The widespread accusations and Trump’s dismissal of them are largely concerning to many and reflect on his own character, along with his presidency. A Politico study found that half of voters find Trump’s sexual misconduct accusations credible. However, if these instances are not enough for voters, President Trump has also said outwardly sexist things throughout his life and presidency.

In regards to the businesswoman Carly Fiorina, Trump stated in 2013, “Look at that face. Would anybody vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president? I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not supposed to say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?” In 2015, discussing Hillary Clinton, Trump said, “If Hillary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?” Donald Trump even made remarks on Paris Hilton at the age of twelve years old. Stating, “Now, somebody who a lot of people don’t give credit to but in actuality is really beautiful is Paris Hilton. I’ve known Paris Hilton from the time she’s 12, her parents are friends of mine, and the first time I saw her she walked into the room and I said, ‘Who the hell is that?’”

President Donald Trump’s objectification and disrespect of women should be a concern to every person voting in 2020, especially those who identify as female. These beliefs, aside from speaking to his lack of character, penetrate his policies. His presidency also encourages every other man in America to avoid accountability and mistreat women everywhere.