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A Running List Of The Women Who've Accused Donald Trump Of Sexual Assault

A Running List Of The Women Who've Accused Donald Trump Of Sexual Assault
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - SEPTEMBER 06: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pauses during a campaign event September 6, 2016 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Trump participated in a discussion with retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Alex Wong via Getty Images
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - SEPTEMBER 06: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pauses during a campaign event September 6, 2016 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Trump participated in a discussion with retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

On Oct. 8, 2016, The Washington Post published footage from 2005 of serial misogynistDonald Trump bragging that as a famous man, he can get away with anything. Like kissing women without waiting for permission. And grabbing women by the pussy. Trump has defended these comments, repeatedly, as “locker room talk.” When pressed by Anderson Cooper during the second presidential debate, he said that he absolutely had not sexually assaulted women.

But since Trump’s remarks emerged ― and well before then ― women have shared their allegations of sexual abuse against the Republican presidential nominee.

Trump and his administration have repeatedly denied all of the accusations, most recently tweeting that women he didn’t know were making “false accusations.” In October 2017, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders suggested that all of Trump’s accusers were lying.

Below is a working list of women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. These allegations span more than three decades, from the early 1980s to 2016, and are presented here based on the date they became public.

* * *

1. Alva Johnson

Her account: Johnson, a former staffer on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, told The Washington Post that the president kissed her without her consent outside of a rally in Florida on August 24, 2016. “I immediately felt violated because I wasn’t expecting it or wanting it,” Johnson said. “I can still see his lips coming straight for my face.” She said she turned her face away from Trump’s kiss, which landed on the side of her mouth, telling the Post that it felt “super-creepy and inappropriate.” Johnson filed a federal lawsuit on Feb. 25, 2016, seeking unspecified damages for emotional pain and suffering.

Trump’s response: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded to Johnson’s accusation, calling it “absurd on its face.”

When we found out: Feb. 25, 2019

When she says it happened: August 2016

* * *

2. Ninni Laaksonen

Her account: Laaksonen, a former Miss Finland, told Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat that Trump groped her in July 2006 while she was in New York competing in the Miss Universe pageant. She says the incident occurred right before she and three other contestants, along with Trump, appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman.” “Trump stood right next to me and suddenly he squeezed my butt,” she told Ilta-Sanomat. “He really grabbed my butt. I don’t think anybody saw it but I flinched and thought: ‘What is happening?’” Laaksonen also says that at a party she attended during that time, she was told by another guest that Trump liked her “because [she] looked like Melania when she was younger.”

Trump’s response: Trump did not dispute this allegation specifically, but has denied the broader accusations that he walked into pageant changing rooms unannounced.

When we found out: Oct. 27, 2016

When she says it happened: 2006

* * *

3. Jessica Drake

Her account: Drake, an adult film actor and director, said in a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred that Trump grabbed her, kissed her without her consent and offered her $10,000 to have sex with him at a Lake Tahoe golf tournament. She said that she met Trump at a booth for her employer at the time, Wicked Pictures, where Trump flirted with her and asked for her number. According to Drake, later that night he invited her to his penthouse suite. She said she brought along two other women because she “didn’t feel right going alone.” During the press conference, Drake said that Trump “grabbed each of us tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking for permission.” Drake said he was wearing pajamas and there was a body guard present. Later that night, Drake said a man called her on Trump’s behalf to ask her to dinner, but she declined. According to Drake, Trump then called her directly and, after she declined again, asked: “What do you want? How much?” Drake said in the press conference that she declined once more, then received a call from a man on behalf of Trump offering her $10,000 and the use of his private jet to “accept his invitation.”

Trump’s response: The campaign issued a statement calling Drake’s allegations “false and ridiculous.”

“The picture is one of thousands taken out of respect for people asking to have their picture taken with Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump does not know this person, does not remember this person and would have no interest in ever knowing her,” the campaign said, calling Drake’s announcement “just another example of the Clinton campaign trying to rig the election.” Also, during a policy speech on Saturday morning in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Trump threatened to sue all the women who have accused the candidate of sexual assault.

When we found out: Oct. 22, 2016

When she says it happened: 2006

* * *

4. Karena Virginia

Her account: Virginia said in a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred that Trump groped her while she was leaving the US Open in 1998. She said that she was waiting for a car to take her home when Trump approached her with a group of a few other men. According to Virginia he said, “Hey look at this one!” and “Look at those legs.” Virginia alleged that he then grabbed her right arm with his right arm, then touched the inside of her right breast before reportedly asking, “Don’t you know who I am?” Virginia said that her shock soon turned to shame and that she changed the way she dressed as a result of the encounter, hoping to avoid unwanted male attention. She was 27 at the time.

Trump’s response: A Trump campaign spokesperson denied the accusation in a statement to The Washington Post: “Voters are tired of these circuslike antics and reject these fictional stories and the clear efforts to benefit Hillary Clinton.”

When we found out: Oct. 20, 2016

When she says it happened: 1998

* * *

5. Cathy Heller

Her account: Heller, now 63, told The Guardian that the first and only time she interacted with Trump, “he grabbed her, went for a kiss, and grew angry with her as she twisted away.” This was all while Heller was having Mother’s Day brunch at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with her husband, in-laws and children. She alleges that Trump said, “Oh, come on” when she protested and held her still while he kissed her on the side of the mouth before walking away. A relative who was seated at the table that day confirmed to The Guardian that Trump was “very forceful” and got “in her face.”

Trump’s response: Trump campaign spokesperson Jason Miller told The Guardian: “There is no way that something like this would have happened in a public place on Mother’s Day at Mr. Trump’s resort. It would have been the talk of Palm Beach for the past two decades.”

When we found out: Oct.15, 2016

When she says it happened: Around 1997 (Heller says she is not 100 percent sure)

* * *

6. Summer Zervos

Her account: Zervos, a contestant on season five of “The Apprentice” (and a self-described Republican) said in a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred that Trump assaulted her on several occasions. She said the first time, she met with Trump in his office and he kissed her on the mouth, which Zervos rationalized as simply a strange greeting. On a separate occasion, she said she met with Trump at the Beverly Hills Hotel to discuss business opportunities. Instead Trump grabbed her while she sat next to him and began kissing her and touching her breasts, Zervos said in her statement. Trump later walked her into the bedroom, she told reporters, and “began thrusting his genitals.” The two did go on to have dinner and discuss real estate, according to Zervos. When asked why she chose to come forward now, she said: “I want to be able to sleep when I’m 70.” As of December 2017, Zervos is moving forward with a defamation lawsuit against Trump.

Trump’s response: Trump denied Zervos’ allegation in a lengthy statement. ”I vaguely remember Ms. Zervos as one of the many contestants on The Apprentice over the years. To be clear, I never met her at a hotel or greeted her inappropriately a decade ago. That is not who I am as a person, and it is not how I’ve conducted my life,” Trump said in an October 2016 statement. “In fact, Ms. Zervos continued to contact me for help, emailing my office on April 14th of this year asking that I visit her restaurant in California.” (Head here to read the full statement.)

When we found out: Oct. 14, 2016

When she says it happens: 2007

* * *

7. Kristin Anderson

Her account: Anderson says she was out at a Manhattan nightclub with friends, sitting on a red velvet couch, when she felt Trump reach into her skirt and touch her vagina through her underwear, The Washington Post reports. She told the paper that the incident was brief, but that she and her friends were “very grossed out.” Anderson was in her early 20s at the time, and an aspiring model.

Trump’s response: A spokeswoman for Trump told The Washington Post that he “denies this phony allegation by someone looking to get some free publicity. It is totally ridiculous.” It’s worth noting, though, that Anderson did not approach the Post with her story. She was contacted by a reporter who’d heard about her experience from other people, and reportedly deliberated for several days about whether or not to go public.

When we found out: Oct. 14, 2016

When she says it happened: The early 1990s

* * *

8. Samantha Holvey

Her account: Holvey told CNN that while she was competing in the 2006 Miss USA pageant, Trump inspected each contestant before the pageant. “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. You know when a gross guy at the bar is checking you out? It’s that feeling,” she told CNN, adding that it was the “the dirtiest I felt in my entire life.”

Trump’s response: Trump did not specifically dispute this allegation, but has denied the broader accusations that he walked into pageant changing rooms unannounced.

When we found out: Oct. 14, 2016

When she says it happened: 2006

* * *

9. Lisa Boyne

Her account: Boyne told HuffPost that during the summer of 1996, Boyne, Trump, modeling agent John Casablancas and others went to dinner in Lower Manhattan. Boyne, who at the time worked at a think tank, said the women at the dinner were all sitting at a circular booth bookended by Trump and Casablancas. According to Boyne, the women could only exit the booth by walking on the table. She told HuffPost that Trump did not pursue her sexually, but asked her opinion on who at the table he should sleep with.

Trump’s response: Hope Hicks responded to the allegation in a statement to HuffPost: “Mr. Trump never heard of this woman and would never do that.”

When we found out: Oct. 13, 2016

When she says it happened: 1996

* * *

10. Jessica Leeds

Her account: More than 30 years ago, Leeds was traveling for work when she sat next to Trump on a flight to New York. Leeds, who is now 74, told The New York Times that she and Trump spoke for a bit, then about 45 minutes into the flight he lifted the armrest between them and began to grab her breasts and put his hand up her skirt. “He was like an octopus,” she told The New York Times. “His hands were everywhere.”

Trump’s response: Trump vehemently denied the story. An attorney representing him has called upon The New York Times to retract it and has threatened to sue the publication. (The New York Times responded.)

When we found out: Oct. 12, 2016

When she says it happened: The early 1980s

* * *

11. Rachel Crooks

Her account: Crooks says she was assaulted by Trump in an elevator while working as a receptionist for a real estate investment and development company in Trump Tower. She told The New York Times that upon meeting Trump, she introduced herself and shook his hand, but he would not let go. Trump began to kiss her on the cheeks, then directly on the mouth. “It was so inappropriate,” she told the Times. “I was so upset that he thought I was so insignificant that he could do that.” Crooks was 22 at the time.

Trump’s response: See above

When we found out: Oct. 12, 2016

When she says it happened: 2005

* * *

12. Mindy McGillivray

Her account: McGillivray, 36, told the Palm Beach Post that Trump groped her while she was attending a concert at Mar-a-Lago, his estate-slash-private-club in Palm Beach, Florida. She was there to help a friend who was photographing the concert, when she says Trump groped her. “All of a sudden I felt a grab, a little nudge. I think it’s Ken’s camera bag, that was my first instinct. I turn around and there’s Donald,” McGillivray told the Palm Beach Post. “This was a pretty good nudge. More of a grab,’’ she continued. “It was pretty close to the center of my butt. I was startled. I jumped.”

Trump’s response: A day after the account was published, CNN reported that Trump’s campaign was drafting a lawsuit against the paper.

When we found out: Oct. 12, 2016

When she says it happened: 2003

* * *

13. Natasha Stoynoff

Her account: In a harrowing essay for People, Stoynoff ― a journalist ― described how Trump assaulted her while she was interviewing him and his wife, Melania, at their Palm Beach estate. She writes that Trump insisted on giving her a private tour of the grounds, at which point he pinned and kissed her: “Trump shut the door behind us. I turned around, and within seconds, he was pushing me against the wall, and forcing his tongue down my throat ... I was grateful when Trump’s longtime butler burst into the room a minute later, as I tried to unpin myself.”

Trump’s response: At a campaign rally, Trump questioned her claims saying, “Look at her. ... I don’t think so.”

When we found out: Oct. 12, 2016

When she says it happened: 2005

* * *

14. Jennifer Murphy

Her account: Murphy, a contestant on Season 4 of “The Apprentice,” told Grazia that Trump kissed her on the lips after a job interview. “He walked me to the elevator, and I said goodbye. ... When he pulled my face in and gave me a smooch. I was like ‘OK,’” she told Grazia. “I didn’t know how to act.” Murphy also told the publication that she still planned to vote for Trump.

Trump’s response: N/A

When we found out: Oct. 12, 2016

When she says it happened: 2005

* * *

15. Mariah Billado

Her account: Billado, a former Miss Teen USA contestant, told BuzzFeed that Trump walked into the changing room while the contestants were half-dressed. “I remember putting on my dress really quick because I was like, ‘Oh my god, there’s a man in here’” Billado said. She remembered Trump responding: “Don’t worry, ladies, I’ve seen it all before.” Billado was one of four former Miss Teen USA contestants to tell BuzzFeed the same story (the other three chose to stay anonymous).

Trump’s response: In a statement to the Washington Post, a spokesperson for Trump denied all allegations that he walked into the changing room while women were naked. “These accusations have no merit and have already been disproven by many other individuals who were present,” the statement read. “When you see questionable attacks like this magically put out there in the final month of a presidential campaign, you have to ask yourself what the political motivations are and why the media is pushing it.”

When we found out: Oct. 12, 2016

When she says it happened: 1997

* * *

16. Tasha Dixon

Her account: Dixon told CBS 2 Los Angeles that when she was 18 and competing in a Miss Universe pageant, Trump walked into the changing room while the participants were changing. “Our first introduction to him was when we were at the dress rehearsal and half naked changing into our bikinis,” Dixon said. “He just came strolling right in. There was no second to put a robe on or any sort of clothing or anything. Some girls were topless. Other girls were naked.”

Trump’s response: In a statement to the Washington Post, a spokesperson for Trump denied all allegations that he walked into the changing room while women were naked. “These accusations have no merit and have already been disproven by many other individuals who were present,” the statement read. “When you see questionable attacks like this magically put out there in the final month of a presidential campaign, you have to ask yourself what the political motivations are and why the media is pushing it.”

When we found out: Oct. 11, 2016

When she says it happened: 2001

* * *

17. Cassandra Searles

Her account: Yahoo News reported that last summer, Cassandra Searles ― Miss Washington 2013 ― posted a photo on Facebook of her fellow contestants and the question: “Do y’all remember that one time we had to do our onstage introductions, but this one guy treated us like cattle and made us do it again because we didn’t look him in the eyes? Do you also remember when he then proceeded to have us lined up so he could get a closer look at his property?” In a follow-up comment on the post, she reportedly added: “He probably doesn’t want me telling the story about that time he continually grabbed my ass and invited me to his hotel room.”

Trump’s response: Trump did not specifically dispute this allegation, but has denied the broader accusations that he walked into pageant changing rooms unannounced.

When we found out: June 2016

When she says it happened: Unclear, but possibly in 2013

* * *

18. “Jane Doe”

Her account: In June, a California woman — “Jane Doe” ― filed a lawsuit alleging that Trump raped her at a party when she was 13 years old. As Buzzfeed reported, an initial hearing in the case had been scheduled for December 2016. However, on Nov. 4 of that year ― several days after the attorney for “Jane Doe” announced a press conference, then abruptly canceled it at her client’s request ― she instructed her attorney to dismiss the lawsuit.

Trump’s response: Trump has vigorously denied the claims, saying that the lawsuit was designed to smear his presidential campaign.

When we found out: June 2016

When she says it happened: 1994

* * *

19. Bridget Sullivan

Her account: Sullivan, a former Miss Universe contestant, told BuzzFeed that Trump would hug her and give her “a squeeze that your creepy uncle would.” She added that before the Miss Universe contest in 2000, Trump came backstage to wish all of the contestants good luck. “The time that he walked through the dressing rooms was really shocking,” she said. “We were all naked.”

Trump’s response: Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks told BuzzFeed that some of the stories mentioned in BuzzFeed’s report “are totally false” and pointed to the fact that Trump has tweeted, “Nobody has more respect for women than Donald Trump!”

When we found out: May 18, 2016

When she says it happened: 2000

* * *

20. Temple Taggart McDowell

Her account: The year that Taggart McDowell was crowned Miss Utah, Trump had just taken ownership of the Miss USA pageant. She says that when she was first introduced to him, he kissed her. “He kissed me directly on the lips,” Taggart McDowell told The New York Times when she came forward with her story. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, gross.’ He was married to Marla Maples at the time … I was like ‘Wow, that’s inappropriate.’”

Trump’s response: Trump told NBC he doesn’t know who she is and denies he ever assaulted her.

When we found out: May 2016

When she says it happened: 1997

* * *

21. Jill Harth

Her account: Harth worked with Trump in the 1990s (she and her partner operated a competition called American Dream Calendar Girls), but it ended in a bitter legal battle. In a 1997 lawsuit, Harth alleged in court documents that Trump repeatedly sexually harassed her, at one point groping her under the table. (The documents were surfaced by The Boston Globe.) Though she eventually dropped that suit, she stands by her story. “How can people not believe me now?” she asked “Inside Edition” after footage of Trump emerged in which he said he can grab women by the pussy.

Trump’s response: In a May New York Times article on Trump’s treatment of women that also included Harth’s account, Trump said it was, in fact, Harth who had pursued him.

When we found out: April 2016

When she says it happens: 1993

* * *

22. Ivana Trump

Her account: In a 1992 deposition during their divorce, Trump’s first wife described an incident in which she says her then-husband forced her to have sex with him. (Spousal rape is still rape.) The deposition came to light in the 1993 Trump biography Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump. Ivana later softened her claims, saying that she “felt violated” as the love and tenderness she was accustomed to from her husband was absent that night, but she was not accusing him of a crime. She followed-up with a statement obtained by CNN last June telling in which she said “the story is totally without merit.”

Trump’s response: He denies it ever took place.

When we found out: 1993

When she says it happens: 1989

This article, originally published in October 2016, has been updated to include additional allegations made public in February 2019.

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