President Trump said Saturday that he is “not at all surprised” by a report this week that Hollywood producer and major Democratic donor Harvey Weinstein has been accused by a number of women of sexually harassing them or making unwanted physical contact.
“I’ve known Harvey Weinstein for a long time. I’m not at all surprised to see it,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House on Saturday evening, headed to a fundraiser in North Carolina.
Trump was then asked by reporters about comments that he made in a 2005 interview with Access Hollywood, during which he bragged about grabbing women without their permission and getting away with it because he’s a celebrity.
In addition to that video, which was made public by The Washington Post in October 2016, more than a dozen women have accused Trump of sexually touching or kissing them without their permission.
“That’s locker room, that’s locker room,” Trump said, using a shorthand for the lengthier explanation that he gave for the remarks last year – that he was simply speaking crudely as he says men often do in locker rooms.
A couple of days ago, the New York Times published a major investigation that revealed that Weinstein had reached settlements with at least eight women who accused him of sexual harassment. Weinstein is taking a leave of absence from the Weinstein Co., which plans to investigate the complaints against him. In a statement to the New York Times, he said: “I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it. Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go.”
