President Donald Trump said Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony about her alleged sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was “very compelling,” calling her a “very credible witness.”
“I thought her testimony was very compelling and she looks like a very fine woman to me, very fine woman,” Trump said of Ford while speaking to reporters on Friday. “It was an incredible moment I think in the history of our country,” he continued. “But certainly [Ford] was a very credible witness. She was very good in many respects.”
Trump calls Blasey Ford a "very compelling" "credible" witness pic.twitter.com/NLh9wDOcpM
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) September 28, 2018
Trump’s statement Friday sharply contrasts with comments he made earlier this week, when he called Ford’s accusations against Kavanaugh a Democratic “con game.” The comments also came just minutes after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate, but hold off on voting on it for another week while the FBI investigates allegations against Kavanaugh.
Ford alleges that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982, when they were in high school. Since she’s come forward, two other women have accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Kavanaugh denies all accusations.
The day before the hearing, Trump said he wished the Senate moved forward with the vote instead of allowing Ford’s testimony. Afterwards, he called Kavanaugh’s testimony “powerful, honest, and riveting,” adding “this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist.”
Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2018
He also called for a Senate vote in Thursday’s tweet, but told reporters on Friday that it would be up to the Senate to delay the vote or not.
“I just want it to work out well for the country,” he said. “If that happens, I’m happy.”