Donald Trump Sex Allegations: 16 Women Have Now Come Forward Alleging Misconduct

“New York” magazine published a report Friday detailing an alleged sexual assault of writer E. Jean Carroll by Donald Trump two decades ago in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman department store in midtown Manhattan.

The incident is one of six described by the 75-year-old writer that is excerpted from her newest book, “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal,” to be published by St. Martin’s Press on July 2. The book also alleges Les Moonves, the disgraced former CEO of CBS, who left the network under a firestorm of allegations of sexual misconduct, kissed and groped her in an elevator after an interview. Both Trump and Moonves have denied the allegations, and Trump denied even knowing Carroll, despite the magazine publishing a picture of Trump and Carroll socializing with their respective spouses in 1987.

In the cover story, Carroll relates meeting Trump at the upscale department store, in what began as a friendly encounter. Trump recognized her as “that advice lady,” because of her long-running advice column in “Elle.” Carroll recognized him as “that real estate tycoon.” During the exchange, Trump allegedly said he was at the store to buy a gift for “a girl,” and asked if Carroll would assist him during the late 1995 or early 1996 encounter.

Carroll agrees and they make their way to the store’s lingerie section. Trump suggests a lace bodysuit and allegedly asks Carroll to try it on. She initially deflects the suggestion but the two eventually move to a dressing room, where the encounter turns violent.

In her telling, Trump pushes Carroll against a wall inside the dressing room, pulls down her tights, then “forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway – or completely, I’m not certain – inside me."

Carroll is the 16th woman to come forward to accuse Trump of sexual misconduct. During the incident, she described Trump yammering “about himself like he’s Alexander the Great ready to loot Babylon.”

At the time, Carroll said she disclosed the incident to two friends, both of whom were journalists. One friend urged her to report the incident to police. “‘He raped you,’” the friend said, repeating the accusation again and again. “‘Go to the police! I’ll go with you.’”

Her other friend took another tact: “‘Tell no one. Forget it! He has 200 lawyers. He’ll bury you.’”

Carroll wrote the designer coat-dress she wore the day of the assault “still hangs on the back of my closet door.” She appears on the magazine cover wearing the dress for the first time since the attack.

New York Magazine confirmed with Carroll’s friends that she told them of the Bergdorf Goodman assault at the time, also confirming the department store kept no security footage that could confirm or deny Carroll’s account.