Trump claims women were paid to accuse him in press conference
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email
Donald Trump has acknowledged that past accusations of sexual misconduct against him mean that he sees accusations against his Supreme Court nominee - Brett Kavanaugh - "differently" than others.
At a rare news conference at the United Nations building in New York, Mr Trump said "had a lot of false charges made against me".
The comments come day before Judge Kavanaugh is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee amid multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. Mr Kavanaugh denies all the allegations against him.
While Mr Trump pledged to listen to the testimony of Mr Kavanaugh's accuser and even said he was open to changing his mind about his nominee, he made clear that he was deeply sceptical of these types of accusations.
"It's happened to me many times," he said, claiming he had been accused - falsely - by "four or five women".
Show all 16 1 /16President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "You are fake news!" Then President-elect Trump directed this insult to CNN's Jim Acosta while refusing him a question at a press conference on January 11 2017. The President-elect's anger was due to the publishing by Buzzfeed of unverified memos that implicated Michael Cohen in Russian collusion. CNN had reported on a briefing of Obama and Trump on the memos by US intelligence chiefs, but knowing the content to be unverified had not revealed it
AFP/Getty
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth" President Trump said this of journalists during a visit to the CIA on the the day following his inauguration. His claim of having the largest crowd of any inauguration ceremony in history had been debunked and he clearly wasn't happy
Reuters
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Failing New York Times" President Trump commonly addresses the New York Times in this way, contrary to its increasing profit margins and expanding global readership. He is pictured here in the midtown Manhattan office of the paper
Getty
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Enemy of the American People" President Trump has since repeated the claim that such news outlets are the enemy of the people, often after they break negative stories about him
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "They have no sources" Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on February 24 2017, President Trump suggested that a Washington Post article with 9 sources was "made up". The article in question exposed how then National Security Advisor Michael Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence over a phone call to a Russian ambassador. That the article was "made up", while highly doubtful at the time, seems even less likely since Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the same phone call
Reuters
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Access denied for major publications Protesters gathered outside of the New York Times office after Trump's White House barred a number of publications from attending a press briefing on February 24 2017. Just hours after the President had again denounced the media, then Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied access to news outlets such as CNN and the New York Times, while permitting Breitbart News, CBS, Fox and others
AFP/Getty
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "#FNN" On July 2 2017, President Trump tweeted an edited clip from his Wrestlemania XXIII appearance in which the CNN logo had been imposed onto the face of his wrestling opponent Vince McMahon. CNN is a common target for President Trump and here he suggests that he is getting the better of the network through his repeated attacks
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "The most powerful TV show in America" On July 27 2017, President Trump quoted a New York Times article about Fox & Friends. The President is known to watch Fox & Friends every morning, often tweeting about matters discussed on the show, leading to speculation over its influence on his outlook and policies
Getty
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "It's frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write" In a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on October 11 2017, President Trump suggested that the press ought not to be allowed their constitutionally secured freedom. He added "people should look into it", suggesting that he also doesn't respect the protection of sources. At the time, he was angry at an NBC report claiming that the President had expressed a desire to return the size of the US' nuclear arsenal to its 1960s height, a claim that he and others in his administration dismissed as fake news
AFP/Getty
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "negative (Fake)" In a tweet on 9 May 2018, President Trump conflated negative reporting about him with fake news
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "I didn't criticise the Prime Minister" In a press conference with the Prime Minister on his visit to Britain, President Trump disputed claims published in the Sun that he had criticised Mrs May's Brexit strategy
Reuters
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain
AFP/Getty
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Trump's rhetoric "very close to inciting violence" In an interview with the Guardian on 13 August 2018, the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein suggested that President Trump's attacks on the press are "very close to inciting violence". Zeid singles out the President's repeated claim that the fake news (negative coverage) media is the "enemy of the people" as dangerous
Reuters
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "anonymous source" = fiction President Trump claimed that any report citing anonymous sources is fiction. The protection of sources is a vital matter of press freedom, without it a potential source's fear of repercussions could lead them to withhold important information
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "You are a rude, terrible person" At a press conference in the wake of the midterms, President Trump clashed with CNN's Jim Acosta when he asked about the President's use of language during the campaign
Reuters
President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "I would never kill Journalists" For any journalists frightened by President Trump's attacks on the press, perhaps you can take solace in his words from a campaign rally in Grand Rapids on December 21 2015. Responding to remarks over Vladimir Putin's handling of journalists, Trump stated: "I hate some of these people, but I'd never kill them... I'll be honest - I would never kill them. Uhhh lets see.. no, I never would"
Getty
In fact, more than a dozen women came forward during the 2016 campaign, claiming they were assaulted, groped or kissed without consent by Mr Trump . He was also caught on tape in 2005 boasting of grabbing women by their genitals and kissing them without permission.
During the free-wheeling news conference, Mr Trump continued to lash out at Democrats and label the allegations against Mr Kavanaugh politically motivated.
Please allow a few moments for the live blog to load
Press Association
Show latest update 1537996398 A quick pivot to Cuba and Venezuela and Mr Trump says he doesn't like what is happening in either country. He has spoken about possible military action against Venezuela earlier in the week at the UN.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:13
1537996516 Mr Trump is asked by CNN about why he always backs the accused over the accuser. It sparks another rambling answer.
He says he wants to give "the women" a chance to speak - he says he could be persuaded of their cases.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:15
1537996766 "I'm going to see what's said - it is possible they could be convincing," Mr Trump says of the testimony of coming from one of the accusers, Dr Christine Blasey Ford tomorrow.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:19
1537996916 "I've been accused - false allegations," Mr Trump said - referring to accusations from four or five women.
The number of women who have accused him is more than a dozen.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:21
1537997360 Mr Trump claims women were "paid to make up" allegations against him.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:29
1537997440 We are now onto Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is facing news reports that he could be fired by the president. Mr Trump says "he would prefer to keep him".
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:30
1537997555 President says he may delay his meeting with Rod Rosenstein - set for tomorrow - to not overshadow the Congressional testimony.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:32
1537997560 First mention of the border wall - Mr Trump says it will be completed
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:32
1537997676 Asked about North Korea - he mentions the two "incredible letters" from Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong-un.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:34
1537997700 He calls the letter "historic" - but offers no detail.
Chris Stevenson 26 September 2018 22:35
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies