As he left Joint Base Andrews Tuesday afternoon, President Donald Trump spoke publicly about U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, saying Moore should be allowed to tell his side of the story.

"You have to listen to Moore's side," Trump said. "He said 40 years ago this did not happen."

Pres. Trump to @CeciliaVega, in first on-camera comments on embattled candidate Roy Moore: "Roy Moore denies it...he totally denies it." pic.twitter.com/EdHyy5TXlf — ABC News (@ABC) November 21, 2017

When asked if he would campaign for Moore, Trump said he would make an announcement next week.

"I can tell you, you don't need somebody that's soft on crime like Jones," Trump said. Moore is running against Democrat Doug Jones in the special election for Alabama's U.S. Senate seat on Dec. 12.

Trump's comments came the same day that members of Moore's Senate campaign spoke at a news conference Tuesday afternoon and refuted claims of inappropriate behavior that have been leveled against him.

Members of his campaign refuted claims by Leigh Corfman and Beverly Nelson that Moore engaged in inappropriate contact when they were teenage girls and he was in his 30s.