Jessica Leeds, one of the women who accused former President Donald Trump of sexual assault, revealed she “laughed out loud” when she recently heard him once again deny her claims. Trump, in his latest comments, had convincedwould not have been the chosen one.”
“I laughed out loud. I couldn’t believe that he was using that word like some sort of cult figure,” Leeds told CNN’s Anderson Cooper during an interview on “AC360.”
Leeds was among the first women to come forward during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, accusing him of assaulting her in the 1970s. She recounted that she had been seated next to Trump in first class on an airplane when he allegedly groped her. Leeds said she fought him off and moved to the back of the plane.
Reflecting on Trump’s frequent denials, Leeds remarked, “I was not the first, of course, I was not the last. But there have been enough [allegations] so that he doesn’t remember.”
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, responded by continuing to deny the allegations, claiming Trump had never met Leeds. Cheung accused her of attempting to interfere with the election and distract from his Democratic rivals, particularly Vice President Kamala Harris.
Leeds also testified during last year’s sexual abuse and defamation trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of assaulting her in a department store dressing room in 1996. Leeds was one of two women Carroll’s legal team called to testify, aiming to show a pattern of behavior by Trump.
In that trial, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation after he publicly denied Carroll’s allegations and claimed she wasn’t his type. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages, and Trump is appealing the verdict.
Leeds acknowledged the importance of reminding voters about Trump’s past conduct toward women, saying, “He assaulted me 50 years ago and continues to attack me today.” While she hasn’t yet decided if she will pursue legal action, Leeds emphasized that her primary goal in testifying was to establish Trump’s pattern of behavior.