When Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore was accused of sexual assault with underage women, many wondered how Donald Trump would respond. As the president came to his defense, it appears as if there is even more to the story than meets the eye.
Trump on Moore
It was one month before Election Day last year when Donald Trump was hit with an October surprise. For the former host of "The Apprentice," his poll numbers had dropped as he was trailing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by sizable margins. Then came the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape, which recorded the president during an interview with then host Billy Bush back in 2005.
During the audio recording, Trump could be heard laughing about using his fame and fortune to touch women as he pleased, with the president saying, "when you're famous, they let you do it." Trump would go on to gloat about being able to touch women at will, even saying, "grab em' by the pu**y." Fast forward to preset day and Trump was recently forced to make a decision as to whether or not he would support Roy Moore following the Washington Post report that accused the Republican from Alabama of engaging in sexual activity with various underage women for decades. Trump delayed his comments, but came out in support of Moore earlier this week while speaking to reporters at the White House. According to a report in the New York Times on November 25, which was later doubled down by The Hill, Trump has been telling people that he believes the "Access Hollywood" tape was not authentic.
JUST IN: Trump privately claiming infamous "Access Hollywood" tape isn't authentic: report https://t.co/JaKCyFkkgS pic.twitter.com/nCITyqHuwS
— The Hill (@thehill) November 25, 2017
As reported by the New York Times, Donald Trump believes that the allegations of sexual assault, harassment, and child molestation against Roy Moore could all be a politically motivated smear attack on the Republican.
The New York Times notes that Trump has been telling his advisers that the "Access Hollywood" tape could be a fake and that his voice is not the one that was recorded.
Trump told a senator earlier this year he wasn't certain the "Access Hollywood" tape, which he acknowledged was him in Oct 2016, was authentic. He told another adviser something similar recently https://t.co/oI6lmniw5h
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 25, 2017
This isn't the first time that the former host of "The Apprentice" has said this, apparently, as he's been reported to have repeated that claim to an anonymous senator earlier this year.
Donald Trump's dilemma with Moore dates back to the weeks following the aforementioned "Access Hollywood" tape when a dozen women came forward to accuse the billionaire real estate mogul of a wide range of sexual assault and harassment. Like Roy Moore, Trump has denied each and every accusation.
Next up
While Donald Trump struggles with how to move forward with Roy Moore, he has other pressing issues on his plate. As health care and tax reform hang in the balance, special counsel Robert Mueller is moving fast in the Russian investigation, which has already indicted several associates of the president from the past and present.
