White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders refused to explain Monday why President Donald Trump hasn't personally denounced domestic violence in light of two White House aides resigning amid shocking spousal abuse claims.
"The president and the entire administration take domestic violence very seriously and believe all allegations need to be investigated thoroughly," Sanders told reporters. "Above all, the president supports victims of domestic violence and believes everyone should be treated fairly and with due process."
Sanders' comments come in response to reports that senior White House officials knew for months about allegations that disgraced staff secretary Rob Porter and speechwriter David Sorensen had physically and emotionally abused their ex-wives.
Both Porter and Sorensen abruptly stepped down last week as photographic and material evidence surfaced of their alleged abuse.
Sanders insisted that the White House found out about the allegations against Porter on Tuesday evening.
"Within 24 hours his resignation was announced," Sanders said.
But she would not address why both she and White House chief of staff John Kelly issued glowing statements about Porter _ even though his ex-wife produced a photo of her bruised and battered face following an alleged beating. Sanders also refused to answer questions about reports that White House lawyer Don McGahn knew about the claims against Porter and Sorensen for months.
Sanders further failed to explain why Trump hasn't condemned domestic violence in light of the disturbing claims against his former staffers.
"It's my job to speak on the behalf of the president," she said.
Sanders' defense was a far cry from Trump's comments on Friday that Porter, 40, had done a "very good job" and that this is "obviously a very tough time for him."
"He also, as you probably know, says he is innocent and I think you have to remember that," said Trump, who has himself denied allegations of sexual misconduct from nearly two dozen women. "He said very strongly yesterday that he is innocent."
Trump continued in the same vain after Sorensen's resignation, taking to Twitter Saturday to complain that "lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation."
"Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?" Trump tweeted.
