One of the women accusing Donald Trump of inappropriate sexual behavior, Temple Taggart, a former Miss Utah, said on Friday she was ready to countersue the Republican presidential candidate if he carried out his promise to sue all of his accusers.

Taggart, who has accused Trump of kissing her on the lips without consent, is one of 12 women who have come forward since the publication of a 2005 Access Hollywood tape in which the businessman boasted of kissing and groping women without their consent. Trump, who has denied all accusations against him, said last weekend he would sue all his accusers after the presidential election.

Taggart, who has hired the lawyer Gloria Allred, said on Friday: “I’m not afraid of you, Mr Trump. If you carry out your threat to sue me, I will defend myself.”

Speaking alongside Allred at a press conference in Utah, Taggart said: “I felt like Mr Trump was trying to silence all of his accusers who had come forward, as well as others who might be thinking of coming forward.

“Enough is enough. I feel like he is trying to bully and frighten us into silence. Mr Trump, that is not going to work with me.”

Another of the 12 women who have accused Trump, Jill Harth, said on Monday she would countersue if Trump pursued legal action against her.



Taggart first spoke of Trump’s alleged actions in May, telling the New York Times he kissed her twice on the mouth in 1997, when she was a 21-year-old contestant in the Miss USA pageant. The first instance allegedly took place when she first met the businessman, at a pageant rehearsal.

“Mr Trump greeted me with a hug and a kiss on my lips,” Taggart, who said she had been very naive and “21 going on 16”, said on Friday.

“I was shocked because that was the first time that any man had ever greeted me in that manner, but I ended up excusing his behavior as a way that east coast people meet each other.”

She said the second alleged incident took place when she travelled to New York later that year, to discuss her future with Trump and to meet modeling agencies.

“To my surprise, Trump embraced me and kissed me on the lips for a second time,” she said. “It was that second kiss that made me wonder what his intentions really were.

“What he did made me feel so uncomfortable that I ended up cutting my trip short, bought my own plane ticket, flew home and never spoke to him again.”

Taggart, a Republican who says she will probably vote for the independent conservative candidate Evan McMullin, said she wanted to make sure that other women feel comfortable coming forward and not frightened that Trump will call them “liars” and threaten legal action.

“Times have changed,” said the mother of three. “Women are empowered now. And we will not tolerate being bullied any more.”

Temple Taggart and Gloria Allred at a press conference in Utah. Photograph: George Frey/Reuters

Allred represents four women who allege inappropriate sexual behavior by the Republican nominee.

“Groping women is completely unacceptable,” she said. “Threatening women who come forward to speak out about what they claim happened to them is also completely unacceptable.

“I assure you, Mr Trump, they will not be left to stand alone while you attempt to trample over them with your lawsuits. Many attorneys will come to their aid. And I will be one of them.”

Allred has a history of representing women in sexual harassment and misconduct cases, including 33 women who have accused comedian Bill Cosby of sexual misconduct.