Donald Trump’s critics are increasing pressure on the president over historic accusations of sexual misconduct, betting that a sea change in attitudes means his accusers cannot be dismissed as easily as they were last year.
Four senators are demanding that the president resign after several women, who told their stories during the 2016 presidential campaign, repeated their allegations on television.
Mr Trump denied the allegations during the campaign and the White House did so again this week.
“Look, as the president said himself, he thinks it's a good thing that women are coming forward, but he also feels strongly that a mere allegation shouldn't determine the course,” said Sarah Sanders, the president’s press secretary.
“And again, the American people knew this and voted for the president. And we feel like we're ready to move forward in that process.”
The question now is whether Mr Trump’s bombastic persona and cries of “fake news” still make him untouchable or whether he is losing touch with the public mood … and reality.
He has so far managed to shrug off allegations of groping, ogling and unwanted affection made by at least 16 women.
Even the emergence of an audio recording during the campaign, in which he boasted of using his fame to force himself on women — “Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything” — had limited impact on his base.
The national conversation has changed since then.
Dozens of powerful men have found themselves under scrutiny, accused of using their positions to harass or abuse women ever since The New York Times revealed how Harvey Weinstein preyed on vulnerable actresses.
Last week, Al Franken, a Democratic senator, said he was standing down despite denying allegations of groping and inappropriate advances made by at least six women. His departure was interpreted by many observers as preparation for Democrats to use the growing #MeToo movement to turn the issue on the president.
Within days four women repeated their allegations against Mr Trump.
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Women accuse Trump of groping, forcibly kissing them
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Samantha Holvey, a former beauty queen, said: “Let's try round two. The environment's different. Let's try again.”
She said that Mr Trump ogled her and other Miss USA contestants in their dressing room in 2006 and described her sadness at how the issue had faded from view after the election.
“It was heartbreaking last year. We’re private citizens and for us to put ourselves out there to try and show America who this man is and how he views women, and for them to say, ‘Eh, we don't care,’ it hurt,” she said.
Her words were echoed by Rachel Crooks, a former receptionist at Trump Tower, who said the billionaire businessman kissed her on the lips without her consent in 2006. She also urged Congress to launch an investigation into Mr Trump’s behaviour.
Four senators — including Bernie Sanders and three Democrats — have demanded the same thing.
But for all the pressure, there is little chance of a Republican-dominated Congress setting up an investigation.
Meghan Milloy, co-founder of Republican Women for Progress, said she hoped times were changing although she was reminded of the moment in the campaign when Mr Trump said he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and still not lose votes.
“This is a conversation we’ve been needing to have for a while,” she said. “However, I feel like Trump really could get away with murder with his base and with this Congress.
“Even with Trump blatantly admitting on tape that he sexually assaulted women, nothing has happened. So I’m not sure what it would take at this point.”
She added that the White House denial was a reminder of the power of the administration’s war on the media.
“This is an example of why all of his calls about ‘fake news’ are so dangerous: people don’t believe what they see/read/hear even when it’s properly sourced and coming from multiple outlets,” she said.
Some clarity might begin to emerge on Wednesday with the result of the Alabama special Senate election, according to Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran campaign consultant.
The Republican candidate, Roy Moore, was endorsed by Mr Trump despite allegations that he assaulted a 14-year-old girl and pursued other teenagers, when he was in his thirties. He denies any misconduct.
Were he to lose the staunch Republican state — or win only narrowly — it would suggest that voters were more concerned about his treatment of women than his conservative, Trumpist credentials, said Mr Sheinkopf, making the president vulnerable to the same concerns.
“You can’t avoid a sexual abuse, sexual harassment discussion after that,” he said.
“Or he can but he’ll be hounded by it. That’s what the Democrats are banking on, that’s why Al Franken had to go, so they’d be clear and could make the moral argument, make the women’s argument.”
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
Kill
Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Starring: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Raghav Juyal
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures
Tuesday:
Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)
Second legs:
October 23
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
SPECS
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid
Power: 366hp
Torque: 550Nm
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Price: From Dh360,000
Available: Now
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: M'A Yaromoon, Jesus Rosales (jockey), Khalifa Al Neydai (trainer)
5.30pm: Khor Al Baghal – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: No Riesgo Al Maury, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Khor Faridah – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Mahmouda, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AS Jezan, George Buckell, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7.30pm: Khor Laffam – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Dolman, Antonio Fresu, Bhupath Seemar
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
The Super Mario Bros Movie
Directors: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic
Stars: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Seth Rogen and Keegan-Michael Key
Rating: 1/5
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
If you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cyl
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Power: 300bhp (GT) 330bhp (Modena)
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh299,000 (GT), Dh369,000 (Modena)
On sale: now
Andor
Creator: Tony Gilroy
Stars: Diego Luna, Genevieve O'Reilly, Alex Ferns
Rating: 5/5
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE
Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)
Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1
Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)
Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)
Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)
Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)
Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)
Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)
Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)
Source: Emirates