A former syndicated Fox News host said Friday that President Trump
Donald TrumpFormer House Republican to challenge DeWine for Ohio gubernatorial nomination GOP senators press Justice Department to compare protest arrests to Capitol riot Overnight Defense: Austin directs classified initiatives to counter China | Biden emphasizes alliances in speech to troops | Lockdown lifted at Texas base after reported shooting MORE tried to kiss her in an elevator in "2005 or 2006," which she said surprised her but did not make her feel threatened.
It's unclear whether Trump was married at the time since Juliet Huddy does not recall the exact date, Page Six reported.
“He took me for lunch at Trump Tower, just us two,” Huddy said on Compound Media’s “Mornin’! With Bill Schulz.” “He said 'goodbye' to me in an elevator while his security guy was there; rather than kiss me on the cheek he leaned in to kiss me on the lips. I wasn’t offended, I was kind of like, ‘Oh my god.' ”
She added that she “didn’t feel threatened,” but was “surprised” that Trump tried to kiss her.
“It was a weird moment,” she said. “He never tried anything after that, and I was never alone with him.”
Huddy said that while she was not offended at the time, in hindsight she would have resisted his advances.
“Now I have matured I think I would say, ‘Woah, no,’ but at the time I was younger and I was a little shocked,” she said. “I thought maybe he didn’t mean to do it, but I was kind of making excuses.”
Trump later joked about the incident, she said. Trump appeared to acknowledge his past with Huddy in an appearance on her Fox News show, saying, “I hit on her but she blew me off."
Huddy, who appeared on multiple Fox News shows and co-hosted a syndicated show based on New York affiliate channel WNYW, left Fox News after filing a harassment complaint against Bill O’Reilly. She accepted a reported six-figure settlement from Fox’s parent company, 21st Century Fox. O’Reilly was fired earlier this year over sexual harassment allegations.
Huddy added that she was “disappointed” in Trump’s reaction to the O’Reilly news.
“When all the stuff came out about Bill O’Reilly, Donald Trump was one of the people who said, ‘I don’t believe this happened and I don’t believe he did it,’ ” Huddy said. “I was actually very disappointed in Trump, I thought, ‘You know what, f--- you.’ ”
Huddy's comments come amid a national conversation about sexual misconduct by powerful men. More than a dozen accusations of sexual harassment and assault were made against Trump during his 2016 campaign. The White House claims the women making such claims are lying.
After Sen. Al Franken
Alan (Al) Stuart FrankenDemocrats, GOP face crowded primaries as party leaders lose control Gillibrand: 'I definitely want to run for president again' Maher chides Democrats: We 'suck the fun out of everything' MORE (D-Minn.) stepped down from the Senate on Thursday over groping allegations, some lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersBriahna Joy Gray: Biden, Manchin don't have 'sincere commitment to bipartisanship' On The Money: Bipartisan Senate group rules out tax hikes on infrastructure | New report reignites push for wealth tax New report reignites push for wealth tax MORE (I-Vt.), have called for Trump to step down over the allegations against him.
— Updated 9:38 a.m.