A woman named Jessica Leeds testified in a New York civil trial on Tuesday, accusing former President Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her on a flight in the late 1970s. Leeds, who is now 81, claims that Trump put his hand up her skirt during a flight to New York. Trump has denied all allegations of sexual harassment, and no criminal case has ever been brought against him for such claims.
Leeds first made the accusation in 2016, during an interview with The New York Times. She was one of dozens of women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct during his campaign for president. Trump denied the allegations, but Leeds came forward publicly, saying she was angry because he was lying.
The allegation was brought up again in the trial of former President Trump against author E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of rape and defamation. Carroll's attorneys called on Leeds to testify, hoping to prove to the jury that Trump has a history of sexual assault. Carroll, 79, claims that Trump assaulted her in a changing room in the mid-1990s.
Trump has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual assault. Carroll filed her lawsuit late last year in New York, taking advantage of a new rule that allows victims of sexual harassment to file a case a long time after the event. The case is just one of many legal challenges Trump is facing as he seeks a return to the White House in 2024.
Last month, Trump was found not guilty in a criminal case related to paying a porn star just before the 2016 elections. He is also under investigation for his involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters, as well as his alleged mishandling of White House documents.
