Story highlights
Jerry Falwell Jr. says he'll vote for Trump despite recent accusations
Trump "is a changed man," says Falwell Jr.
The New York Times reports that two women say Trump touched them inappropriately
Trump denies the allegations made in the Times report
Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. suggested he would vote for Donald Trump even if new allegations of the nominee inappropriately touching women are true.
“I’m going to vote for Trump because I believe he’s the best qualified to be president of the United States,” Falwell Jr. said in an interview with Erin Burnett on “Erin Burnett OutFront.”
The New York Times published a report Wednesday that Trump inappropriately touch two women.
According to the Times, the first incident happened nearly three decades ago and the second in 2005. Jessica Leeds told the Times that Trump “grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt”, while they were traveling together on a flight. The second accusation came from Rachel Crooks. She claimed that while working as a receptionist at a real estate investment development company, Trump began kissing her, according to the New York Times.
CNN has yet to independently confirm the accounts in the New York Times article.
Burnett pressed Falwell on whether he would still support Trump if the allegations in the Times report are true.
“I’m not going to say anything to besmirch the character of any of these women,” Falwell Jr. said. “The New York Times is very anti-Trump.”
The Trump campaign released a statement, blasting the Times for trying to undermine the election.
“This entire article is fiction, and for the New York Times to launch a completely false, coordinated character assassination against Mr. Trump on a topic like this is dangerous. To reach back decades in an attempt to smear Mr. Trump trivializes sexual assault, and it sets a new low for where the media is willing to go in its efforts to determine this election,” said Jason Miller, a Trump spokesman.
Falwell Jr. argued that the Republican nominee is a “changed man.”
“He has taken all the right positions on all the issues,” Falwell Jr. said. “He will do what’s best for America as president.”
Burnett reminded Falwell of Trump’s controversial comments about women – specifically his attacks again Fox News Megyn Kelly, Rosie O’Donnell and most recently former Miss Universe Alicia Machado.
“Donald Trump of five, ten years ago, even two or three years ago may have been a different person,” Falwell Jr. said. “The bigger point is he is going to appoint the right justices to the Supreme Court. He’s going to control immigration. He’s going to bring our country back to a position of strength again. And that is why I’m supporting Donald Trump.”