Trump: I Could Change My Mind on Kavanaugh

President says he plans to watch Thursday's hearing
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 26, 2018 5:55 PM CDT
Trump: I Could Change My Mind on Kavanaugh
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the Lotte New York Palace hotel during the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, in New York.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

At what CNN refers to as a "rare news conference" Wednesday in New York—just the fourth solo, formal, announced-in-advance news conference since he became president—President Trump said he would watch Thursday's Senate hearing, at which Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman to accuse him of sexual misconduct, will both testify—and he signaled that what he sees could affect Kavanaugh's nomination. "They're giving the women a major chance to speak. Now it's possible I'll hear that and say hey I'm changing my mind. Hey, that's possible," Trump said. "I'm going to see what happens tomorrow. I'm going to be watching, believe it or not. I'm going to see what's said. It's possible they will be convincing." But he also called the allegations "false" and repeated his assertion that the accusers should have come forward earlier.

"I only say this: 36 years, no charge, no nothing. People are going to have to make a decision. Thirty-six years and there’s no charge." He said "con artist" Democrats "have destroyed a man's reputation," and noted that he can sympathize: "People want fame. They want money. When I see it, I view it differently. It's happened to me many times. I've had many false charges. When you say does it affect me? Absolutely. Because I've had it many times. I was accused by, I believe it was four women ... who got paid a lot of money to make up stories about me. I've had a lot of false charges against me." CNN notes at least 17 women have accused Trump of sexual assault. Trump touched on quite a few other subjects during the press conference, including Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whom he said he would "certainly prefer not to" fire, the AP reports. He also called reports of the UN General Assembly audience laughing at him "fake news," insisting "they were laughing with me." (More President Trump stories.)

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