Washington, Oct 2 (EFE).- President Donald Trump on Tuesday complained that recent accusations of sexual impropriety directed against a number of high-profile men in the US has created a “very scary” environment for US men in general.
The president made his remarks to reporters in commenting on the accusations of sexual abuse that have been leveled at his Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.
“My whole life, I’ve heard you’re innocent until proven guilty. But now you’re guilty until proven innocent. That is a very, very difficult standard,” the president told reporters at the White House.
“It’s a very scary time for young men in America, when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of,” Trump added. “This is a very difficult time.”
When asked if he also had a message for young women, Trump responded: “Women are doing great.”
The president did not directly mention the feminist #MeToo movement, which recently has ended the careers of powerful men accused of committing sexual abuse, but in the past he has expressed his unease with it, in all likelihood due to the fact that he, too, has been accused by at least 16 women of taking unwanted liberties with them, kissing and touching them without their consent.
Trump’s comments come a day after his older son, Donald Jr., said in an interview with Britain’s Daily Mail tabloid that he is more concerned about the future of his sons than about his daughters, given that they could face unfounded charges of sexual abuse.
The president insisted that Kavanaugh, who has been accused by at least three women of attempted rape and/or sexual misconduct when he was in high school and college, “has been very brutally treated.”
Nevertheless, Trump said that he thought the vote Senate Republicans want to hold before the weekend on Kavanaugh’s nomination will have a “positive” result, although he said that this will depend on what the FBI uncovers in its investigation this week of the allegations against the judge.