President criticises Democratic senator’s actions but remains silent on Roy Moore, prompting fresh scrutiny of his own behaviour towards women

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Donald Trump attacked Al Franken for sexual misconduct on Thursday night on Twitter, reigniting the controversy around allegations made against the president himself by numerous women.

A timeline of Donald Trump's alleged sexual misconduct: who, when and what Read more

Franken, a two-term Democratic senator, has apologized to Leeann Tweeden for behaving in an inappropriate manner during a tour of the Middle East to entertain US troops in 2006.

The statements mark Trump’s first significant foray into allegations of sexual misconduct arising in US politics in recent weeks in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by 16 different women, said on Twitter of a picture of Franken appearing to grope a sleeping Tweeden: “The Al Frankenstien [sic] picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?”

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps? .....

The president then followed up by referencing a joke about rape by Franken when he was writing for Saturday Night Live in 1995. Franken suggested a skit in which he would give the CBS News reporter Lesley Stahl pills, and “take her to the closet and rape her”.

Trump tweeted: “And to think that just last week he was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women. Lesley Stahl tape?”

The president was himself captured on tape in 2005 in a conversation with the Access Hollywood host Billy Bush boasting about sexual assault, saying he would see women and “grab them by the pussy”. Trump also said: “When you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything.”

Franken has asked to be investigated by the Senate ethics committee and said in a statement: “There’s more I want to say, but the first and most important thing– and if it’s the only thing you care to hear, that’s fine – is: I’m sorry.

“I respect women. I don’t respect men who don’t. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.”

As a comic, Al Franken joked about rape, sex robots and Afghan women Read more

Trump has long threatened to sue the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, although he has yet to actually do so. The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, has said the White House’s official position is that all of the women who came forward to allege inappropriate behaviour were lying.

The comments about Franken come a week after Roy Moore, the Republican Senate nominee in Alabama, was first accused of sexual assault against a teenage girl. Although more women have come forward to accuse Moore of sexual misconduct, Trump has yet to comment publicly on the allegations.

He did tweet about Moore in September, saying: “Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time. Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA!”

Sanders said on Thursday: “The president believes that these allegations are very troubling and should be taken seriously and that people of Alabama should decide who their next senator should be.”