Jessica Leeds has renewed her allegations against Donald Trump, accusing the former president of sexually assaulting her on a flight in the late 1970s. In an emotional press conference outside Trump Tower on Monday, Leeds described her encounter with Trump, saying, "He assaulted me 50 years ago and he continues to attack me today." Leeds, visibly shaken, recounted the incident, stating, "All of a sudden, this man started grabbing me and trying to kiss me. He had 47 arms like an octopus."
Leeds was one of the first women to publicly accuse Trump of sexual assault during the 2016 presidential campaign. She claimed that in the 1970s, while seated next to Trump in first class on a flight, he made unwanted advances. Leeds stated that she moved to the back of the plane to get away from Trump. She initially made her accusations public in 2016, telling The New York Times that Trump had groped her during a flight to New York.
Leeds provided detailed testimony in federal court in Manhattan in 2023 during the slander and sexual abuse trial involving writer E. Jean Carroll. Leeds told the court, "He was grabbing my breasts. It's like he had 40 zillion hands, and it was a tussling match between the two of us." She also recalled a later encounter with Trump at a charity event where he allegedly taunted her, saying, "I remember you. You're that cunt from the airplane."
In her press conference, Leeds urged Americans not to support Trump in the upcoming 2024 election. "We just cannot allow this person back into the White House," she said. She emphasized that she is speaking out "because I believe it's important to remind voters" about Trump's behavior. Leeds also responded to Trump's recent comments where he referred to her as "not the chosen one," calling the remark "really bizarre." She added, "I must admit, I did laugh. It's a little spooky and a little difficult to process. He does seem to be kind of obsessed. But here I am."
Leeds indicated that she is considering legal action against Trump in response to his latest remarks. She said she is exploring "a lot of options," though no final decision has been made. Leeds stressed that her goal in coming forward is to correct the record and highlight Trump's pattern of behavior, stating, "I was not the first, of course I was not the last. But there have been enough so that he doesn't remember."
Donald Trump has denied Jessica Leeds' allegations, maintaining that he never assaulted her. During a press conference at Trump Tower on Friday, Trump dismissed Leeds' claims, stating, "She would not have been the chosen one." He questioned the plausibility of the accusations, saying, "Think of the impracticality of this. I'm famous, I'm in a plane, and I grab her and start kissing her? What are the chances of that happening?" Trump suggested that the allegations are politically motivated, calling the case "disgraceful" and part of a broader effort involving the Department of Justice against him as he leads in the polls for the 2024 presidential race.
