Donald Trump has mocked a witness in the Supreme Court nominee hearings.
Donald Trump has mocked a witness in the Supreme Court nominee hearings.
President Donald Trump has publicly mocked Christine Blasey Ford's testimony regarding an alleged sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Speaking at a rally in Mississippi, the President made light of Ford's evidence to the Senate Judiciary Committee - and cast doubt on her claims.
"Guilty until proven innocent, that's very dangerous for our country," Trump said of Ford's testimony last week that Kavanaugh attempted to hold her down and remove her clothes in 1982, when they were both in high school. Kavanaugh strongly denies the allegation.
Trump also imitated Ford during her testimony, mocking her for not knowing the answers to questions such as how she had got to the party where she says Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.
"I had one beer. Well, do you think it was - Nope, it was one beer," Trump said, mimicking Ford's testimony last week to the Senate Judiciary.
"How did you get home? I don't remember. How'd you get there? I don't remember. Where is the place? I don't remember. How many years ago was it? I don't know."
Trump's comments were met with applause from the crowd.
"I don't know. I don't know," the President continued.
"What neighbourhood was it in? I don't know. Where's the house? I don't know. Upstairs, downstairs - where was it? I don't know -- but I had one beer. That's the only thing I remember."
Trump said that the Democrats opposed to Kavanaugh's nomination are "evil people" who are out to "destroy people."
He said of Kavanaugh: "a man's life is in tatters. A man's life is shattered."
Trump said that Kavanaugh is "like a perfect person who is destined for the Supreme Court."
"He's led a life that's like unbelievable," the President added.
As soon as Trump mentioned Kavanaugh's name, the crowd in the arena began chanting, "We want Kavanaugh".
Trump expanded on the subject of the allegations against Kavanaugh by saying that the men of the nation are now under constant threat of false accusations.
Christine Blasey Ford. Photo / AP
"Think of your son. Think of your husband," Trump said. He added that he himself has experienced "many false allegations".
Trump posed a hypothetical situation about a bright young man who had just gotten at job "at IBM or General Motors" but is falsely accused of sexual misconduct.
"What do I do Mom? What do I do Mom?" he said, imagining the panicked son pleading with his mother for advice.
Trump was speaking at the "Make America Great Again" rally in support of Mississippi's two incumbent US senators, Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, both Republicans.
Due to a special election to fill the seat that Hyde-Smith was appointed to earlier this year, both Senate seats in Mississippi are up for re-election in the November 6 midterm election.
Hyde-Smith joined Trump on the stage at the really, where he called her a "true Mississippi patriot."
She lauded Trump and said to the crowd: "Is he not the best president we have ever had?"
Hyde-Smith was appointed this year to fill the seat of Republican Thad Cochran. She faces Republican Chris McDaniel and Democrats Mike Espy and Tobey Bernard Bartee in next month's special election for the remainder of the two-year term.
