“Out of the blue, he started groping me”: Trump accuser relives her #MeToo moment

More than a dozen women have come forward to accuse President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, and now two of them might actually get their days in court. Karen McDougal, a fitness expert and former Playboy model, filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking the right to speak publicly about her relationship with Trump. On the same day, a New York state judge ruled that Summer Zervos’s case — alleging that Trump kissed and touched her without her consent in 2007 — could move forward.

In addition to the fact that the discovery phase of the Zervos case could force Trump to reveal everything from his tax returns to his business deals, it could also potentially vindicate some of Trump’s alleged victims. One in particular spoke to Sean Rameswaram for the latest episode of Today, Explained: Jessica Leeds, who claims Trump groped her on an airplane more than 30 years ago.

“I felt so vulnerable. I felt so alone. I felt so threatened,” Leeds told Rameswaram.

Hear more from Leeds about her traumatic experience, as well as from Vox policy and politics editor Laura McGann about Trump’s history with women and what his accusers might accomplish, on Today, Explained.

Related reading:

• It was a bad day in court for Donald Trump’s efforts to silence women (Anna North)
• How one woman’s defamation suit could shine a light on Donald Trump’s sexual assault allegations (Anna North)
• What happened to the 19 women who accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct (Margaret Hartmann, New York magazine)
• How to watch Stormy Daniels’s 60 Minutes interview (Rachel Wolfe)

How do I get even more Today, Explained?

You can get the news we’re reading throughout the day, facts and stats to make you smarter about the world, and behind-the-scenes photos on Twitter at @Today_Explained. You can follow Sean at @Rameswaram and Laura McGann at @LKMcgann.

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