Trump warns ‘mere’ claims of abuse can shatter people’s lives

He laments lack of due process as White House aides step down

President Donald Trump, in a pointed response to the uproar over charges of domestic violence by two top aides, cautioned Saturday that lives can be shattered by a “mere allegation” and asked whatever happened to “due process?”

It was his first tweet on the topic since he lauded his ousted staff secretary, Rob Porter, in brief remarks to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday. He emphasized that Porter, who was forced to resign, had said “very strongly” that he was innocent.

Hour laters, White House speechwriter David Sorensen also resigned over domestic abuse allegations. Sorensen has denied his wife’s claims.

Trump on Saturday redoubled his measured response to such charges, noting how damaging allegations can be.

“Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation,” he tweeted. “Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?”

Trump did not mention Porter by name. Nor, like his Oval Office remarks, did he mention the ex-wives who went public with the charges of domestic abuse.

In response, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., took to Twitter to blast the president’s position.

“Women’s lives are upended every day by sexual violence and harassment,” she wrote. “I’m going to keep standing with them, and trusting them, even if the President won’t.”

The president’s comments Friday were the first time he had spoken publicly about Porter since the allegations surfaced Wednesday in a report in the British tabloid The Daily Mail.

Trump said he was saddened by the charges but pointed out that Porter has denied the accusations.

“He also, as you probably know, says he’s innocent and I think you have to remember that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in an unscheduled photo-op. “We absolutely wish him well, he did a very good job when he was at the White House.”

Those pleas of innocence come despite public accusations by Porter’s former spouses, including one who produced photos of a black eye she said Porter gave her while in Italy. In a written statement sent through the White House press office Wednesday, Porter said he took those photos, but that “the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described,” he said. He did not elaborate.