Former Model Amy Dorris Says Trump Sexually Assaulted Her At U.S. Open In 1997

A former model has accused US President Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 1997, adding to the list of more than two dozen women who have publicly accused Trump of sexual misconduct over the last few decades.

Amy Dorris told The Guardian that Trump “shoved his tongue” down her throat and grabbed her butt and breasts outside the bathroom in his VIP box at the tournament in New York. Dorris and her then-boyfriend, media mogul Jason Binn, were guests in Trump’s box during the event.

“I was in his grip, and I couldn’t get out of it,” Dorris told The Guardian.

“I don’t know what you call that when you’re sticking your tongue just down someone’s throat,” she added. “But I pushed it out with my teeth. I was pushing it. And I think I might have hurt his tongue.”

Dorris was 24 at the time. Trump was 51 and married to his second wife Marla Maples.

Trump’s legal team denied the allegation, telling The Guardian that there would have been more witnesses if the assault had occurred. They also suggested Dorris’ accusation was politically motivated.

The Guardian reported that Dorris revealed her story to the outlet 15 months ago, but she didn’t want to go public then to protect her family. She ultimately decided to share her story in part because she felt it would make her a stronger role model for her teenage daughters.

“I want them to know that you don’t let anybody do anything to you that you don’t want,” Dorris said. “And I’d rather be a role model. I want them to see that I didn’t stay quiet, that I stood up to somebody who did something that was unacceptable.”

At least 24 other women have publicly accused Trump of sexual misconduct in incidents that span from the early 1980s to 2016. At least 10 women, including Dorris, have accused Trump of groping or kissing them without their consent. One, E. Jean Carroll, alleged Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.

Trump has denied sexually assaulting anyone. He has accused Carroll of being a liar and suggested he wouldn’t have pursued her because she’s not his “type.” Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit against him in response.

Last week, the Justice Department, headed by Trump loyalist Attorney General William Barr, took the unusual step of seeking to substitute the U.S. government for Trump as the defendant in Carroll’s lawsuit.