President Donald Trump said Friday that he feels “badly” for the seven men accused of gang‑raping a young woman at Cornell University. The remarks came after New York Governor Kathy Hochul named state Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the allegations and the university’s handling of the case.
The lawsuit, filed on September 14, alleges the assault occurred in October 2024 at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house. Jane Doe, the unnamed accuser, claims she was drugged and intoxicated, and that seven fraternity members discussed the incident in a group chat after the alleged rape.
Cornell officials have denied wrongdoing, but revelations about the school and local authorities’ handling of the case have sparked national outrage. The lawsuit raises questions about sexual violence on campus, the treatment of women who report assault, and whether intoxication negates consent.
After leaving the White House for Mobile, Alabama, Trump headed to Joint Base Andrews, where he will speak on Friday evening. He criticized Hochul’s appointment of James, calling her a “corrupt” prosecutor, and urged supporters to focus on his campaign events in Republican‑leaning states ahead of the midterms.
