Beatrice Keul Accuses Donald Trump of Rape in 1993 Encounter

Beatrice Keul, a model and former Miss Switzerland, has accused Donald Trump of raping her during an encounter in 1993, according to a report released by Democratic staff on the House Judiciary Committee. The White House has denied the allegation, calling it untrue and politically motivated. Keul previously said Trump groped her during a meeting in November 1993. In testimony to committee staff, she alleged that the encounter went further and described it as a forced assault. The account appears in a 53-page report examining alleged links between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, issued by the committee’s Democratic minority on October 26. According to the report, Keul said she was 24 when she met Trump at a pageant-related event at New York’s Plaza Hotel, which he owned. She alleged that he offered to help arrange a visa and secure her admission to New York University, telling her, “I will take care of you.” She also said Epstein approached her and invited her to a party at Mar-a-Lago, describing himself as Trump’s close friend. The report says a Trump representative later invited Keul to meet him upstairs at the Plaza. Keul alleged that Trump grabbed her from behind and raped her. These are allegations reported by the committee’s Democratic staff; the material supplied does not describe an independent finding that they occurred. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis rejected Keul’s account, saying none of the allegations were true and dismissing the report as an attempt by Democrats to divert attention from the administration. Trump has previously said he ended his friendship with Epstein before learning of any criminal suspicions, and has described Epstein as a “creep” whom he removed from his Florida club. The committee report also alleges efforts by the Justice Department to conceal material, claims that are disputed by the White House.