Trump on Platner rape allegations: ‘A lot of people say big falsehoods’

Administration Trump on Platner rape allegations: ‘A lot of people say big falsehoods’ Comments: by Ashleigh Fields - 07/08/26 10:00 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ashleigh Fields - 07/08/26 10:00 PM ET Comments: Link copied

NOW PLAYING

President Trump weighed in on the accusations against former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on Wednesday, questioning whether people should believe the sexual assault allegations against the Democrat.

“It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

“He’s in a bind,” he added.

The president’s remarks came hours before Platner dropped out of the race over the controversy sparking by two accusations of rape and previous scandals regarding racist remarks online in addition to a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol.

“I just want to make it clear. This is all false. The things that have been claimed did not happen. It’s not real,” Platner said in an 11-minute-long video, denying rape allegations.

“It has placed an immense amount of weight on me as I think about what needs to happen now,” he added in the clip where he announced he was suspending campaign operations.

Platner said the allegations came out days before July 13, the deadline to drop out of the race, in an effort to block him from advancing to the November general election.

He told his followers, the Democratic establishment “would rather see [Sen.] Susan Collins (R-Maine) win than have me be the next senator from Maine.”

Several lawmakers including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Maine), two of his biggest supporters, withdrew their endorsements of his campaign over the allegations.

Our Revolution, a political group founded by Sanders, endorsed former Maine state Sen. President Troy Jackson (D) to replace Platner on the ballot.

Jackson said he’s looking to “go forward” with the movement sparked by Platner with a push for “Medicare for all, workers’ rights, prescription drugs, I mean trying to do something about this war,” during a Wednesday appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press Now.”