Trump dubs harassment claims ‘totally fake news’

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday dubbed all sexual assault allegations against him “fake news” after his campaign was subpoenaed as part of a defamation suit brought by a former reality show contestant.

“All I can say is it’s totally fake news. It’s fake and made-up stuff and it’s disgraceful what happens, but that happens in the world of politics,” he said.

The lawsuit by Summer Zervos, a former The Apprentice contestant, says Trump made “numerous false, defamatory statements” in response to her allegations that he tried to kiss and grope her without her consent.

The subpoena, which was issued in March but filed Sept 19, directs the Trump campaign and its affiliates to hand over documents on Zervos and her associates as well as on “any woman alleging that Donald J. Trump touched her inappropriately”.

It also seeks documents on “any accusations” made during Trump’s election campaign that he “subjected any woman to unwanted sexual touching and/or sexually inappropriate behaviour,” and on his responses to allegations against him.

Zervos said last year that Trump had made unwanted sexual advances towards her when she met him at a hotel in Los Angeles in 2007 to discuss career opportunities.

Trump moved towards her aggressively during the encounter and touched her on the breast but she rebuffed him, she alleged.

Zervos and several other women who made similar allegations came forward after a 2005 videotape of Trump bragging about groping women surfaced in early October. – AFP