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Donald Trump is facing a furious backlash after he branded protesters of Brett Kavanaugh's potentially appointment to the Supreme Court as disingenuous “troublemakers” and "elevator screamers".

Trump tweeted Friday about the women who flooded Capitol Hill to oppose Mr Kavanaugh, describing them as "rude elevator screamers" and suggesting they were “paid professionals”.

Model Emily Ratajkowski and actor Amy Schumer were among hundreds of demonstrators arrest during protests in Washington on Thursday.

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake was also challenged by the two women as he entered an elevator last week over his vote over Mr Kavanaugh’s appointment to a lifetime role in the Supreme Court.

However, the US president has since accused them of being troublemakers, and claimed the activists had been paid for by billionaire George Soros “and others”.

Trump said: “The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it.

“Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love.”

The women, who have since been named as Ana Maria Archila and Maria Gallagher, identified themselves as sexual assault survivors and challenged Mr Flake over the vote.

“What you are doing is allowing someone that actually violated a woman to sit on the Supreme Court,” Ms Archila said in the exchange broadcast on CNN.

Responding to the president’s on Friday, the activist said Trump represents “precisely what is wrong with our democracy” and said she kept quiet about her alleged sexual assault for 30 years.

Ms Archila said: “No one can pay for someone’s lived experiences. The pain, the trauma, and the rage that I expressed when I spoke with Senator Jeff Flake in an elevator were my own, and I held it for more than 30 years to protect the people I love from it.

“President Trump is again trying to ignore the experiences of people in this country by discrediting individuals who dare to raise our voices and force elected officials to listen to our stories, to look us in the eye, to not turn away.

Brett Kavanaugh protests - In Pictures 32 show all Brett Kavanaugh protests - In Pictures 1/32 Kavanaugh protests US comedian Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski are arrested as they protest against Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination EPA 2/32 Kavanaugh protests Amy Schumer waits to be led away outside the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Getty 3/32 Kavanaugh protests Emily Ratajkowski was among those arrested at the protest Twitter/Emily Ratajkowski 4/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 5/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 6/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 7/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 8/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 9/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 10/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 11/32 Kavanaugh protests Getty Images 12/32 Kavanaugh protests Getty Images 13/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 14/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 15/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 16/32 Kavanaugh protests Getty Images 17/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 18/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 19/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 20/32 Kavanaugh protests SIPA USA/PA Images 21/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 22/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 23/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 24/32 Kavanaugh protests AP 25/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 26/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 27/32 Kavanaugh protests REUTERS 28/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 29/32 Kavanaugh protests AP 30/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 31/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 32/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 1/32 Kavanaugh protests US comedian Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski are arrested as they protest against Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination EPA 2/32 Kavanaugh protests Amy Schumer waits to be led away outside the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Getty 3/32 Kavanaugh protests Emily Ratajkowski was among those arrested at the protest Twitter/Emily Ratajkowski 4/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 5/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 6/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 7/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 8/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 9/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 10/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 11/32 Kavanaugh protests Getty Images 12/32 Kavanaugh protests Getty Images 13/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 14/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 15/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 16/32 Kavanaugh protests Getty Images 17/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 18/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 19/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 20/32 Kavanaugh protests SIPA USA/PA Images 21/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 22/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 23/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 24/32 Kavanaugh protests AP 25/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 26/32 Kavanaugh protests EPA 27/32 Kavanaugh protests REUTERS 28/32 Kavanaugh protests AFP/Getty Images 29/32 Kavanaugh protests AP 30/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 31/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters 32/32 Kavanaugh protests Reuters

“He represents precisely what is wrong with our democracy. But the lesson from my elevator conversation is that when we force political leaders to connect with us, with our humanity, we can breathe life into our democracy.”

She added: “I believe in the brilliance and power of our stories, and will continue to grow organisations that allow us to build power together.”

Lia Weintraub, a spokeswoman for the progressive group Center for Popular Democracy, also condemned Trump’s tweet, saying she had “never been prouder to work with troublemakers”.

The Cut quoted Ms Weintraub as saying that although Soros had donated to the CPD, his funding “in no way compelled Ana’s confrontation" of the Senator.

Scores of Twitter users slammed Trump for branding the activists “troublemakers,” with one writing: “By 'very rude elevator screamers' I’m sure you meant, 'traumatized victims of sexual assault passionately pleading to be heard & believed'.

“Oh, the signs are identical because we as women tend to have similar lived experiences with [sexual assault]. But thanks for the reminder of your incompetence.”

Another wrote: “No, just angry Americans exercising their fundamental rights."

Journalist Ed Krassenstein added: "They aren’t paid. They are real victims you disgusting human being!"

Three women have accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct in separate incidents in the 1980s. The nominee has denied the allegations.

The Senate took a crucial vote Friday and agreed to move Mr Kavanaugh's nomination forward.

Senators have been confronted by protesters, some of whom are members or paid staffers for activist groups.

Several women who identified themselves as sexual assault survivors approached Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah on Thursday and asked why he's backing Mr Kavanaugh.

Hatch waved and told them to "grow up" as he entered an elevator.