Over the course of several decades, numerous women have publicly accused President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, including unwanted touching, harassment, assault, and rape. The allegations span from the 1980s through the 2010s and involve women from a variety of backgrounds, including models, beauty pageant contestants, journalists, business associates, and former employees. Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has described many of the accusations as false or politically motivated.
One of the earliest allegations came from Jessica Leeds, who said Trump assaulted her during a flight in the 1980s by touching her breasts and attempting to reach under her skirt. Ivana Trump, his former wife, once described a violent incident during their marriage in which she said he sexually assaulted her, though she later clarified she did not mean rape in a criminal sense. In the early 1990s, Kristin Anderson and Jill Harth both accused Trump of unwanted sexual advances and groping. Harth later filed a sexual harassment lawsuit that included an attempted rape allegation before withdrawing it during a business dispute settlement.
Several women connected to beauty pageants also accused Trump of inappropriate behavior. Former Miss Teen USA contestants, including Mariah Billado and Tasha Dixon, claimed Trump entered dressing rooms while contestants as young as 15 were changing. Other pageant participants, such as Temple Taggart McDowell and Bridget Sullivan, described unwanted kissing or inappropriate physical contact. Trump once publicly stated that, as owner of the pageants, he was able to inspect backstage areas while contestants were dressing.
Additional accusations emerged from women who encountered Trump socially or professionally. Former model Stacy Williams claimed Trump groped her in Trump Tower while Jeffrey Epstein was present. Natasha Stoynoff, a People magazine journalist, alleged Trump forcibly kissed her while she was interviewing him at Mar-a-Lago in 2005. Rachel Crooks said Trump kissed her without consent during an encounter in Trump Tower, while Summer Zervos, a former contestant on The Apprentice, accused him of kissing and groping her during a business meeting.
One of the most widely known accusations came from writer E. Jean Carroll, who alleged Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. Trump denied the claim and accused Carroll of fabricating the story. Carroll later sued him for defamation. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll millions of dollars in damages. Additional penalties were later imposed in a separate defamation case.
Other allegations involved accusations of groping, forced kissing, or inappropriate conduct at parties, business meetings, and public events. Some accusers filed lawsuits that were later withdrawn, while others chose not to pursue legal action due to fear of retaliation or public scrutiny.
In total, more than two dozen women have publicly accused Donald Trump of misconduct. Supporters argue that many allegations surfaced during politically charged moments, while critics point to the consistency and number of accounts over time. The accusations have remained a significant and controversial part of the public discussion surrounding Trump’s personal conduct and political career.
