Writer claims Pres. Trump sexually assaulted her in NYC dressing room in the 1990s



NEW YORK — E. Jean Carroll,  a writer and advice columnist,  claims President Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in a dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan more than two decades ago.

Carroll revealed shocking details of the alleged assault in Friday's New York Magazine. She said that President Trump, then known as a real-estate mogul, approached her at the store and started a friendly chat.

President Trump recognized Carroll as "that advice lady" and Carroll said she recognized him as "that real-estate tycoon." At the time, Carroll was a well-known writer and host of her own call-in advice show on America's Talking, a cable channel that would be replaced by MSNBC.

According to the account, President Trump told Carroll he needed advice on buying a gift for a girl. Carroll recalls suggesting a handbag or a hat. President Trump, she writes, instead led the way to the lingerie section.

He picked out a lacy see-through bodysuit and says, "Go try this on!"

Carroll said she joked about President Trump trying it on instead, and the two made their way to the dressing rooms.

That's when things turned violent, according to Carroll's account.

Carroll recalls President Trump shoving her against the wall inside the dressing room, pulling down her tights and, "forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway — or completely, I’m not certain — inside me.”

The incident took place in late 1995 or early 1996, Carroll said.

A senior White House official said in a statement to New York magazine, “This is a completely false and unrealistic story surfacing 25 years after allegedly taking place and was created simply to make the President look bad.”

In his own statement, President Trump denied the allegations and said, "I've never met this person in my life," adding that the accusation was "fake news" and said there was no evidence.

"No pictures? No surveillance? No video? No reports? No sales attendants around?? I would like to thank Bergdorf Goodman for confirming they have no video footage of any such incident, because it never happened," he said.

Around the time of the alleged assault, President Trump's first ex-wife, Ivana Trump, had claimed that he violated her during their marriage. President Trump was married to Marla Maples at the time.

Carroll is the 16th woman to accuse President Trump of sexual misconduct, according to New York Magazine.