text: President Donald Trump said that it’s a “scary time” for young men in America since they can face sexual assault allegations even when they may be innocent. 
   
   Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding a flight Tuesday, Trump said that the political climate in America today makes it hard to refute allegations, referencing claims of sexual misconduct by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. 
   
   “It is a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of,” he told reporters. “This is a very difficult time. What’s happening here has much more to do than even the appointment of a Supreme Court justice. You can be somebody that was perfect your entire life and somebody can accuse you of something. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a woman. But somebody can accuse you of something.” 
   
   Trump said that the current situation meant that some men are “guilty until proven innocent.” 
   
   Asked if he had a message for young women, Trump said it’s a “great time for women.” 
   
   California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford testified to Congress last week that as a teenager Kavanaugh held her down, put his hand over her mouth and tried to remove her clothes. A second woman, Deborah Ramirez, said that as a college student he exposed himself to her during a party. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, alleges that she was gang raped at a party that Kavanaugh attended. 
   
   Kavanaugh denies all of the allegations. 
   
   During the 2016 campaign, Trump faced allegations of sexual misconduct from 18 women ranging from walking through women’s dressing rooms to unwanted kissing to touching their genitals without their consent. Trump denied all the allegations, calling the women “horrible, horrible liars.” He’s currently facing a defamation lawsuit from one of the women, former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos. 
   
   The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., also said in an interview this week that he’s “scared most” for his sons, rather than his daughters. ||||| President Trump Donald John TrumpGiuliani says he confirmed Trump ‘never’ spoke with Cohen about congressional testimony Russian pop star linked to Trump Tower meeting cancels US tour Harris after announcing presidential run says her 'highest priority' is protecting Mueller probe MORE said Tuesday the controversy surrounding Brett Kavaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court shows it is a “scary time for young men.” 
   
   "It is a very scary time for young men in America, when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn before leaving the White House. 
   
   Trump said Kavanaugh has been treated unfairly as multiple women have come forward to accuse the federal judge of sexual misconduct. The FBI is investigating the allegations, delaying a Senate confirmation vote. 
   
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   "It's a very scary situation where you're guilty until proven innocent," the president said. "That is a very, very difficult standard." 
   
   Trump's comments are likely to fuel the firestorm surrounding Kavanaugh's nomination and renew questions about his attitude toward the "Me Too" movement. 
   
   Nineteen women have accused the president of sexual misconduct or said they’ve had an extramarital affair with him. Trump has denied all of the allegations. 
   
   Asked if he had a message for young women, Trump replied, “Women are doing great.” 
   
   The president said he hopes for a “positive” vote in the Senate this week for Kavanaugh, but it will "be dependent on what comes back from the FBI.” 
   
   The sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh stem from his time in high school and college in the 1980s. 
   
   His first accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, delivered dramatic testimony last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee, in which she said Kavanaugh pinned her down and tried to rip off her clothes while drunk at a house party with other high school students. 
   
   Kavanaugh forcefully denied the allegations during his own testimony, which pleased Trump and his other Republican supporters. 
   
   Two other women have accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while drinking excessively during his years in high school and college. 
   
   The president warned Democrats that they risk turning Kavanaugh into a martyr on the right if they block his nomination, a move he said would energize conservatives ahead of the midterm elections. 
   
   "They are so in favor of Judge Kavanaugh. It’s like a rallying cry for the Republicans," Trump said. 
   
   But several GOP senators, led by Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeSchumer recruiting top-notch candidate for McCain Senate seat The Hill's Morning Report — Trump eyes wall money options as shutdown hits 21 days Poll: Sanders most popular senator, Flake least MORE (Ariz.), are withholding their support for Kavanaugh until the FBI investigation concludes. 
   
   The White House agreed to allow the FBI expand its investigation after senators accused the administration of limiting it too narrowly, according to reports on Monday. 
   
   Several key senators have indicated they would be uncomfortable voting for Kavanaugh if the inquiry was seen as perfunctory. 
   
   But top Republicans have said they plan to move ahead with Kavanaugh's confirmation vote this week, wary a further delay could possibly derail his nomination. 
   
   Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDACA recipient claims Trump is holding ‘immigrant youth hostage’ amid quest for wall Former House Republican: Trump will lose the presidency if he backs away from border security Pence quotes MLK in pitch for Trump's immigration proposal MORE (R-Ky.) mocked a new story about the judge getting into a bar fight during his years at Yale University and reaffirmed his plans to hold a vote this week. 
   
   "Senators will have the opportunity to vote. We’ll have the opportunity to vote 'no' on the politics of personal destruction. We’ll have the opportunity to vote 'yes' on this fine nominee," McConnell said on the Senate floor. ||||| Published on Oct 2, 2018 
   
   (2 Oct 2018) President Donald Trump says he wants to "see what happens" with the FBI investigation into his embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Trump also said it was "a scary time for young men" who could become subject of false accusations. (Oct. 2) 
   
   
   
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   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you... ||||| Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he believes the reaction to the allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh makes it "a very scary time for young men in America." 
   
   "It is a very scary time for young men in America, where you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of," Trump said. "This is a very, very -- this is a very difficult time. What's happening here has much more to do than even the appointment of a Supreme Court justice." 
   
   The allegations against Kavanaugh -- including sexual assault and exposing himself to a young woman in college -- have sparked the latest reckoning in America about sexual assault and men's treatment of women, bringing the #MeToo movement back to the fore. And while Trump has called Christine Blasey Ford, who testified to Congress that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were in high school, "credible" and "compelling," he has continued to support Kavanaugh's confirmation and emphatically defend his character. 
   
   Trump's comments on Tuesday were just the latest instance of the President expressing concern about the public outcry resulting from the allegations against Kavanaugh and the impact on other men. 
   
   "It's a very scary situation where you're guilty until proven innocent. My whole life I've heard you're innocent until proven guilty, but now you're guilty until proven innocent. That is a very, very difficult standard," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House. "You could be somebody that was perfect your entire life and somebody could accuse you of something." 
   
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target: – As President Trump exited the White House for a flight Tuesday, he spoke with reporters on the South Lawn about the topic you'd expect: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the allegations against him. Some standout lines, per Time, the AP, and the Hill: "You can be an exemplary person for 35 years and then somebody comes and they say 'you did this or that,' and they give three witnesses, and the three witnesses at this point do not corroborate what she was saying. It's a very scary situation where you're guilty until proven innocent. ... That is a very, very difficult standard." "It is a very scary time for young men in America, when you can be guilty of something you're not guilty of." "What's happening here has much more to do than even the appointment of a Supreme Court justice. ... You could be somebody that was perfect your entire life, and somebody could accuse you of something. Doesn't necessarily have to be a woman ... but somebody could accuse you of something and you're automatically guilty, but in this realm you are truly guilty until proven innocent. That's one of the very, very bad things that's taking place right now." As for what kind of a time it is for women, "Women are doing great," he replied when asked if he had a message for them. CNN sees parallels between Trump's statements and comments Donald Trump Jr. made in a Monday interview with the Daily Mail in which he said that, in light of the Kavanaugh allegations, he is more afraid for his sons. "I mean, right now, I'd say my sons. I've got boys, and I've got girls. And when I see what's going on right now, it's scary."