President Trump doubled down on his support for Republican Senate candidate and alleged child molester and sexual abuser Roy Moore on Sunday morning.

Nine women have accused Moore of sexual misconduct, including one who was just 14 when Moore, then in his 30s, approached her. But rather than condemn child molestation, Trump instead hit Moore’s rival, Doug Jones, in a tweet Sunday morning.

The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017

“The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY,” Trump tweeted. “Jones would be a disaster!”


Trump’s attack Sunday echoed comments he made last week when he called Jones “soft on crime.” Notably, Jones’ signature political achievement was his successful prosecution of the men who bombed a Birmingham Church in 1963, which killed several African American children. He served as a federal prosecutor for eight years.

Trump has privately acknowledged that his support for Moore is cold political calculus, according to a New York Times story Saturday. But other party leaders have made a different choice. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan have both said they find the allegations credible, and believe Moore should step aside. Across the networks Sunday morning, Republicans echoed that call.

“It is pretty clear to me that the best thing that Roy Moore can do for the country is to move on,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said on ABC.

.@SenatorTimScott: “It is pretty clear to me that the best thing that Roy Moore can do for the country is to move on.” #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/21YUmfedH4 — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 26, 2017

On CNN, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was asked about Trump’s support for Moore, saying, “That’s a political decision by the president. He’s definitely trying to throw a lifeline to Roy Moore.”

Graham went on to say that he doesn’t see what winning looks like for Moore.

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Roy Moore: "If he wins we get the baggage of him winning and it becomes a story everyday about whether or not you believe the women" #CNNSOTU https://t.co/qFaxhStjdd — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) November 26, 2017

“If he wins, you get the baggage of him winning and it becomes a story every day about whether or not you believe the women or Roy Moore,” Graham said. “If you lose, you give the senate seat to a Democrat. The moral of the story is don’t nominate somebody like Roy Moore who could actually lose a seat that any other Republican could win.”


Trump’s refusal to believe sexual assault allegations doesn’t stop with Moore. More than a dozen women have accused Trump himself of sexual misconduct. One woman — Summer Zervos, who alleges Trump groped her in 2007 — recently subpoenaed the Trump campaign for any documents relating to her accusations as well as any documents pertaining to “any woman alleging that Donald J. Trump touched her inappropriately.”

A flood of allegations were made against Trump after the release of the Access Hollywood tape last year, in which Trump bragged about grabbing women “by the pussy.” And even though Trump publicly acknowledged it was him in the recording — he defended his comments by suggesting it was simply “locker room talk” — Trump has reportedly told lawmakers the tape is “not authentic.” The Times reported on Saturday that Trump suggested to an unnamed senator earlier this year, and an anonymous advisor more recently, that he believes the tape was faked.