President Donald Trump, whose presidential campaign was rocked a year ago by the release of a recording in which he boasted about groping women, has said he was not surprised by sexual harassment allegations against media mogul Harvey Weinstein.
“I’ve known Harvey Weinstein for a long time. I’m not at all surprised to see it,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday.
The Oscar-winning movie producer said he was taking a leave of absence from his company and seeking therapy after the New York Times reported he had reached eight previously undisclosed settlements with women who made allegations of sexual harassment and unwanted physical contact.
In an initial statement, Weinstein, who has not faced criminal charges, apologized for the “pain” he had caused. He and his attorneys, however, have said he denies “many” of the allegations, none of which have been independently confirmed by the Guardian.
Trump faced resounding criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike after the release of a 2005 recording from NBC’s Access Hollywood in which he talked in vulgar terms about grabbing women by the genitals and trying to have sex with an unidentified married woman.
The recording was released a year ago. Asked about that by a reporter on Saturday, Trump said: “That’s just locker room.”
As a candidate, Trump at one point brushed off the recording as “locker room banter” but also apologized for making the remarks.
