Controversy Over Columnist’s Remarks on Trump and Cornell Assault

The New York Times is facing criticism after columnist Michelle Cottle commented on President Donald Trump’s impact on society, linking his influence to an alleged sexual assault at Cornell University. During an appearance on ABC News, Cottle stated, “What this is, is it’s a fundamental disrespect for women. You can’t send those messages no matter how drunk you are as a frat boy without having some kind of misunderstanding about what women are there for and whether this is a real person you’re dealing with.”

She further expressed concern that societal behavior glorifying mistreatment of women is becoming normalized, noting, “I mean, we are in a moment in this culture where the glorification of being thuggish and swaggering and mistreating women is kind of making you a cool kid.”

Amid these comments, Cornell University’s President declared that the institution “must do better” in handling sexual assault allegations. The woman involved in the case, identified as Jane Doe, has filed a civil lawsuit claiming she was gang-raped by seven men during an event involving ketamine and alcohol at Cornell in 2024. The accused men have denied any wrongdoing, with some claiming the encounter was consensual, others claiming non-participation, and no charges have been filed.

Cottle’s remarks generated backlash, especially from those highlighting that the incident took place while Joe Biden was President. Fox News contributor Joe Concha and others criticized Cottle’s timing, noting the assaults happened in 2024. CNN contributor Scott Jennings mockingly referred to the attempt to link Trump with the incident, while Tricia McLaughlin and John Ziegler derided the inclination to blame Trump for unrelated events.

The Media Research Center initially shared the video clip of Cottle’s comments, and Fox News reached out to the New York Times and the White House for additional comments. Meanwhile, the investigation into the alleged assault is being managed by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump has been vocal about James’s involvement, criticizing her handling of cases against him and questioning the fairness of the process.