President Donald Trump on Saturday bemoaned what he perceived as a lack of due process, at a time when two of his aides have been forced to resign for similar reasons.
Over the last few days, two White House staffers have stepped down under a cloud of suspicion involving claims of domestic abuse. After staff secretary Rob Porter was forced out, Trump appeared to defend him by saying Porter had denied the allegations — even as White House chief of staff John Kelly acknowledged they were credible.
On Saturday, Trump doubled down on his defense by tweeting that “lives are being shattered” by allegations that may or may not be true. The president — who has been buffeted by claims of sexual misconduct — asked: “Is there no such thing as due process?”
In Porter’s case, both of his ex-wives told a news publication that he had physically and verbally abused them. One of the women said Porter choked and punched her during their five-year marriage, according to a report published Wednesday by the Daily Mail.
The latest imbroglios involving White House personnel are taking place during a turbulent cultural conversation about sexual harassment, with powerful people being laid low by allegations that sometimes stretch back decades.
–CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this report.
