WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied allegations by aformer receptionist that he had kissed her without her consent in anelevator lobby of Trump Tower, calling the story “another false accusation”.

Trump was reacting to a front-page report in The Washington Post on howRachel Crooks — who first made the allegations public before the 2016elections — has doggedly continued to stand by her story in publicappearances, despite not knowing if it will ever make any difference.

Crooks says that in 2006, when she was a 22-year-old receptionist workingfor an investment firm located in Trump Tower, she introduced herself tothe then 59-year-old real estate tycoon as he waited for an elevatoroutside her office.

She said she approached him with her hand out, and he grabbed it andstarted kissing her.

“He started kissing me on one cheek, then the other cheek,” the newspaperquoted her as telling a group of women.

“He was talking to me in between kisses, asking where I was from, or if Iwanted to be a model. He wouldn’t let go of my hand, and then he went rightin and started kissing me on the lips.”

She said the incident lasted around two minutes.

Trump hit back at the allegations on Twitter, saying, “A woman I don’t knowand, to the best of my knowledge, never met, is on the FRONT PAGE of theFake News Washington Post saying I kissed her (for two minutes yet!) in thelobby of Trump Tower 12 years ago. Never happened!”

“Who would do this in a public space with live security cameras running,”he added, asking why The Washington Post had not reported “the story of thewomen taking money to make up stories about me?”

Nineteen women have come forward to accuse the president of sexualmisconduct over a period of several decades.

Trump’s angry denials on Twitter have often served only to exacerbate thedebate over his behaviour towards women.