Endorses Roy Moore for Senate despite allegations he sexually assaulted teenage girls, saying 'We need Roy Moore'
A week before Alabama's special Senate election, Trump fully endorsed Republican Roy Moore despite at least five women alleging Moore pursued sexual relationships with them as teenagers when he was in his 30s, including two who said he sexually assaulted them when they were minors. One woman told the Washington Post she was 14 when Moore assaulted her. Trump tweeted 'Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama.' He called Moore and gave his endorsement. Trump's support prompted the RNC to restore financial backing for Moore. The endorsement showed Trump prioritizing political power over protecting victims of sexual abuse, mirroring his own history of sexual misconduct allegations. Moore lost to Democrat Doug Jones in a stunning upset.
“Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama.” — Tweet endorsing Roy Moore, December 4, 2017 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryTrump's endorsement of Moore despite credible allegations of child sexual abuse demonstrated his willingness to overlook any misconduct if it served his political interests.
The 'we need' language revealed Trump's transactional view - Moore's Senate vote for tax cuts mattered more than allegations he preyed on teenage girls.
Trump's support of Moore paralleled his own history of sexual misconduct allegations and his Access Hollywood comments, showing a pattern of dismissing abuse claims.
The RNC's restoration of funding after Trump's endorsement showed how Trump's personal decisions overrode party standards and safeguards.
Moore's eventual loss to Democrat Doug Jones in deep-red Alabama demonstrated the limits of Trump's endorsement power when candidates faced serious misconduct allegations.