Trump calls Kavanaugh sexual assault allegations 'hoax' brought about 'by evil people' ahead of swearing in ceremony

'It was very unfair what happened to him,' the president says about Brett Kavanaugh hours before he is sworn into the Supreme Court

Donald Trump apologised to Brett Kavanaugh and his family for “the terrible suffering” they had been been forced to endure as he was sworn in as a Supreme Court justice, after earlier claiming that sexual assault allegations against his nominee were “a hoax” brought about “by people who are evil”.

The US president said that “under historic scrutiny”, his pick for his nation’s top court was “proven innocent” at the ceremonial event at the White House.

Ahead of a speech at a Chiefs of Police convention in Orlando, Florida, the Mr Trump told reporters that the allegations against Mr Kavanaugh were “all made up”, adding: “It was fabricated, and it’s a disgrace.“

He added that Mr Kavanaugh was simply “a man that was caught up in a hoax that was set up by the Democrats.”

He continued his attack at the convention itself, where he claimed the controversy surrounding Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination ”was a disgraceful situation brought about by people who are evil”.

He said: “It was very unfair what happened to him.” He added that Mr Kavanaugh ”toughed it out” against the “false accusations” levelled against him.

The accusations, he said, were “a hoax” invented by his rival Democratic Party.

As Mr Kavanaugh was sworn in as the 114th Supreme Court justice, he promised to ”always be a team player on a team of nine”.

Describing the confirmation process as “contentious and emotional”, he said he had ”no bitterness”.

The president has repeatedly hit out at critics of the justice, who was accused of sexual misconduct by three women.

The first of his accusers Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that he sexually assaulted her at a party when they were teenagers. She said it had left her “afraid and ashamed” and had “drastically” altered her life.

Mr Trump initially described her testimony as “compelling” and called her a “very credible witness”.

But he later mocked the 51-year-old at a campaign rally.

“’I had one beer.’ Well do you think it was… ‘Nope. It was one beer.’ Oh good. How did you get home? ‘I don’t remember.’ How did you get there? ‘I don’t remember.’ Where is the place? ‘I don’t remember.’ How many years ago was it? ‘I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know,’” the president told the cheering Mississippi crowd. “’What neighbourhood was it in? ‘I don’t know.’ Where’s the house? ‘I don’t know. Upstairs. Downstairs. I don’t know. But I had one beer that’s the only thing I remember.’”

Dr Ford had in fact recounted many of the details he claimed she had forgotten. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the president’s latest statements.