Donald Trump attacks global #MeToo movement

Donald Trump has hit out at the global #MeToo movement, saying lives and careers are being shattered without due process.

Donald Trump has hit out at the global #MeToo movement, saying lives and careers are being shattered without due process.

His comments came a day after he defended former White House aide Rob Porter who resigned after being accused of physical and emotional abuse by his two ex-wives. White House speechwriter David Sorenson also resigned last week following accusations of domestic abuse.

“Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation,” Mr Trump tweeted today. “Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused — life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?”

Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused - life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

His comments were widely seen as an attack on #MeToo which has seen men around the world lose their jobs and reputations after being accused of sexual misconduct towards women.

His comments will be welcomed by those in Mr Trump’s base who believe the movement has gone too far. But the president’s comments are also likely to offend many women voters and others offend who welcome the #MeToo movement as an overdue recognition of sexual misconduct against women by men in positions of power.

His comments came a day after Mr Trump defended the 40-year Porter who resigned last week after one of his ex-wives released a photo of her with a black eye which she said was caused by Porter. Mr Porter, who is dating White House communications chief Hope Hicks, denies the allegations.

“We wish him well,” Mr Trump said of Mr Porter. “He did a very good job when he was in the White House, and we hope he has a wonderful career, and he will have a great career ahead of him. But it was very sad when we heard about it, and certainly he’s also very sad now.”

“He also, as you probably know, says he is innocent, and I think you have to remember that.”

Mr Trump, who has fended off accusations of sexual harassment against himself, last year defended the then-Republican Senate candidate in Alabama Roy Moore after Moore was accused of sexually harassing teenage girls while he was in his 30s.

“Forty years is a long time. He’s run eight races, and this has never come up,” said of Moore at the time.

“He says it didn’t happen,” the president added. “You have to listen to him, also.”

The Porter controversy has caused deep recriminations inside the White House amid clams that senior officials, including Mr Kelly knew about the abuse allegations for months before they became public.

Mr Kelly claimed he only learned about the full extent of them on the day last week that Mr Porter resigned and the photo of the black eye was released.

Mr Trump is said to have been frustrated at the way the issue was handled by both Mr Kelly and by Ms Hicks who reportedly helped draft a statement from Mr Kelly early last week support Mr Porter.

“Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honour and I can’t say enough good things about him,” Mr Kelly said at the time. “He is a friend, a confidante and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him.”

Mr Kelly was forced to ask for Mr Porter’s resignation the following day when the full extent of the allegations became public..

White House speechwriter Mr Sorenson also resigned this week after being accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife. He denied the allegations saying “never committed violence of any kind against any woman in my entire life.”

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia