Ernst, Romney call for investigation into Trump rape accusation by E. Jean Carroll

Two Republican senators said Tuesday an investigation should be conducted looking into a sexual assault accusation against President Trump made by columnist E. Jean Carroll.

Sen. Joni Ernst said to CNN both parties should be interviewed about Ms. Carroll’s claim Mr. Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s, which the president has denied.

“I think anybody that makes an accusation like that, they should come forward, but obviously there has to be some additional information. They need to interview her. They need to visit with him,” the Iowa Republican — who in January disclosed that she was a survivor of sexual assault — said when asked if Ms. Carroll’s account should be believed.

Mr. Romney partially agreed, saying an “evaluation” should be conducted but didn’t know “whether it’s Congress or whether it’s another setting” that should conduct the interview.

“It’s a very serious allegation,” the Utah Republican said. “I hope that it is fully evaluated. The President said it didn’t happen and I certainly hope that’s the case.”

Sen. John Thune said Ms. Carroll’s account showed “unacceptable, deplorable behavior” but added that because “the President is denying them, I can’t comment on them because I don’t know what the truth is.”

“I think anytime you have a situation like this where nobody knows exactly what the truth and exactly what the facts are, it’s hard to draw any hard-and-fast conclusions,” the South Dakota Republican said.

Many other Republicans have said they either trust the president’s denial of the claim or declined to comment.

Mr. Trump claimed the story is a publicity stunt to help Ms. Carroll sell her book “What Do We Need Men For?” and clarified that the writer is not “her type.”