Washington: In a surprising break from the administration's stand, Nikki R Haley, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said that women who have accused President Trump of sexual misconduct “should be heard.” The administration has been dismissing the allegations as false. Haley, a former governor and one of the highest-ranking women in Trump’s administration, refocused attention on the allegations against the president by insisting that his accusers should be treated no differently than the scores of women who have come forward in recent weeks with stories of sexual harassment and misconduct against other men.
“They should be heard and dealt with,” Haley said. “And I think we heard from them prior to the election. And I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way, they have every right to speak up.”
Her remarks are the latest indication that the president’s behaviour toward women - more than a dozen have accused him of unwanted touching, forcible kissing or groping - may not escape renewed scrutiny at a time when an array of powerful men have had their careers derailed because of their improper treatment of women, some of which took place decades ago.
The #MeToo movement has engulfed prominent members of both political parties. Democrats have appeared determined to grab the moral and political high ground, largely forcing their accused party members to resign. Republicans have been more divided: Even as some accused members have stepped down, the party has largely stood by Trump. And it remains bitterly split over how to respond to the case of Roy S Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama who has been accused of molesting an underage girl and attempting to date other teenagers when he was in his 30s.
Some of the women who first accused Trump during the campaign last year have expressed a renewed desire to press their case. The president has denied all of the women’s accusations, calling them “made-up stuff” and “totally fake news.”
Viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, Haley was discussed as a possible replacement for secretary of state Rex W Tillerson when it was thought that Trump might fire him. And her high profile service as the nation’s top diplomat at the United Nations could help propel her if she decides to pursue a return to elective office. But her comments suggest she is also willing to depart from the approved White House script.
Asked whether the election meant the allegations against the president should be a settled issue, Haley said that was for “the people” to decide. “I know that he (Trump) was elected,” she said. “But, you know, women should always feel comfortable coming forward.”
