Kellyanne Conway says Trump believes 'you have to consider all sides' with abuse allegations

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Sunday defended President Trump's tweet — apparently posted in response to domestic abuse accusations made against two White House staffers, Rob Porter and David Sorensen — lamenting that "Peoples [sic] lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation." As critics noted, Trump consistently defends men accused of abuse or assault on women but displays no such concern for due process in other cases.

Speaking on ABC's This Week, Conway said Trump believes "you have to consider all sides" in abuse allegations, including "incidents that relate to him as well." Later in the interview, she declared Trump "a man who shows great compassion and understanding for women on many different issues," repeatedly pivoting to the president's record on women's employment rates.

On CNN's State of the Union, Conway said she personally has "no reason not to believe the women" accusing Porter and Sorensen. Pressed by host Jake Tapper on Trump's view, Conway said the "president is very disturbed by what he sees," and his positive comments about Porter were exclusively about his "work product." The tweet, she claimed, is not about Porter specifically or even the #MeToo movement. Then, again, she pivoted to women's employment.

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Watch an excerpt of that conversation below. Bonnie Kristian