A former worker on Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign is suing him after claiming that he abruptly grabbed her by the hand and kissed her during a meeting.
Alva Johnson has claimed in a federal lawsuit that the US President made the unwanted advance in August 2016 during a meeting with staff and volunteers in Tampa, Florida.
In the lawsuit, first reported by The Washington Post, she says he “grasped her hand and did not let go” and kissed her on the corner of her mouth as she turned slightly away.
"This accusation is absurd on its face," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
"This never happened and is directly contradicted by multiple highly credible eye witness accounts."
Ms Johnson is seeking unspecified damages and an order preventing Mr Trump from “grabbing, kissing or otherwise assaulting or harassing women without prior express consent”.
Ms Johnson’s allegation is the first involving Mr Trump to have been made since his election in 2016.
