Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks during a fireside chat on tax reform at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on Nov. 5. | Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images Mnuchin refuses to say whether he believes Moore accusers

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that Roy Moore should step aside as the GOP's nominee in Alabama's upcoming Senate special election if accusations of sexual misconduct "prove to be true."

In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Mnuchin declined to say whether he believed a Washington Post story describing how Moore pursued relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30s. One woman accused Moore of molesting her when she was 14.


"I'm not an expert on this issue," Mnuchin said. "People should investigate this issue and get the facts. If these allegations are true, absolutely, this is incredibly inappropriate behavior."

Pressed by host Jake Tapper on whether he personally thought the accusations were accurate, Mnuchin said, "I just watch what I see on TV."

"It appears that there is a significant issue here that needs to be addressed," he said.

Alabama's special election, in which Moore will face Democrat Doug Jones, is scheduled for Dec. 12. Some Republicans, including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who appeared on Sunday's "State of the Union," have urged Moore to step aside for the good of the party.

