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Most Americans believe Donald Trump’s sexual misconduct accusers, poll finds

There is mixed sentiment when it comes to whether he should step down, however

Clark Mindock
New York
Friday 22 December 2017 23:26 GMT
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Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing, and the White House says the women are lying
Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing, and the White House says the women are lying (Reuters)

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Most Americans say they believe the numerous women who have come forward to accuse President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, according to a new CNN poll.

A total of 61 per cent of those polled said they believe the allegations to be “mostly true”, while just 32 per cent of those who were polled said they think the allegations are “mostly not true”.

The poll goes further than simply noting who believes what about the allegations, and finds that many Americans have an appetite for Mr Trump to answer for his actions. A total of 63 per cent say they think Congress should investigate the claims against Mr Trump, while just 36 per cent say that Congress should leave it alone.

Things get murkier when it comes to Mr Trump keeping his job in the White House, however. Fifty per cent say Trump should step down because of the allegations of sexual assault or harassment — which Mr Trump has vociferously denied — while 48 per cent have his back and say he should remain in office.

The allegations took a back seat for much of this year after the deluge last year before the election, when more than a dozen women came forward to tell stories of Mr Trump forcibly kissing or groping them. But, after months in which powerful men in the media, entertainment, and political industries have seen a reckoning for their alleged sexual harassment or assault, the issue of Mr Trump’s own past has once again surfaced

The White House, in addition to Mr Trump, has maintained that the President has never done anything wrong, and that the women accusing him of wrongdoing are lying.

Three of the women who have accused Mr Trump of sexual misconduct said earlier this month during a press conference that Congress should open an investigation into the Republican.

Several Democrats followed suit, and indicated that the accusations are grounds for Mr Trump’s resignation.

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