Gizem Nisa Cebi
24 October 2024•Update: 24 October 2024
ISTANBUL
Former model Stacey Williams accused Donald Trump, the former US president, of groping her during a visit to Trump Tower in New York in 1993, according to a report Thursday by the Guardian newspaper.
She characterized it as part of a "twisted game" involving late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Guardian said Williams made the accusation on a Zoom call organized by a group backing US Democratic candidate for president Vice President Kamala Harris. She recounted how Epstein introduced her to Trump at a Christmas party in 1992.
Williams claimed that the groping took place months later when she and Epstein visited Trump at his residence in Manhattan.
"He put his hands all over my breasts, waist, and buttocks," said Williams. She added that she felt "deeply confused" and observed Trump and Epstein exchanging smiles during the incident.
Trump's campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt refuted the allegations. "These accusations, made by a former activist for Barack Obama and announced on a Harris campaign call two weeks before the election, are unequivocally false. It’s obvious this fake story was contrived by the Harris campaign," she said.
Williams noted that Trump later sent her a postcard featuring Mar-a-Lago -- Trump’s home in the US of Florida that is also a resort --referring to it as her "home away from home," and signed it "Love Donald."
The alleged incident brings further scrutiny to Trump's long-term association with Epstein, although there is no evidence to indicate that Trump was aware of Epstein's criminal activities.
Williams also said Epstein reacted with anger after the incident, chastising her for permitting the groping to happen. "He made me feel so disgusting," she said, reflecting on the encounter and the sensation of being treated "like a piece of meat."
The allegation adds to the growing number of similar claims against Trump, who has faced claims of sexual misconduct from two dozen women.
Trump was found liable in a separate case last year for sexually abusing columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s.
Although Williams had previously disclosed parts of her story on social media, she said she refrained from coming forward publicly until now to safeguard her privacy and avoid a potential backlash.
