President Donald Trump weighed in Wednesday on the controversy surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, saying the Democrat was “in a bind” after facing an allegation of sexual assault.Trump made the remarks aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States from Turkey, where he had attended this week’s NATO summit.Reporters asked the president whether Platner should be pressured to leave the race after a woman he once dated alleged he entered her home without permission and forced himself on her.Platner denied the allegation in a video statement, calling it “troubling and false.”Trump said Maine Democrats were in a difficult position.”It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman,” Trump told reporters. “A lot of people say big falsehoods. He’s in a bind.”Asked whether Democrats should be able to force Platner out of the race, Trump replied, “Well, I guess he’s going to lose.”The president also drew a comparison to past allegations saying, “It’s very interesting, when a Republican woman came out with the same charge, nobody believed her. When this woman came out, everybody believed her.”

WASHINGTON —

President Donald Trump weighed in Wednesday on the controversy surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, saying the Democrat was “in a bind” after facing an allegation of sexual assault.

Trump made the remarks aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States from Turkey, where he had attended this week’s NATO summit.

Reporters asked the president whether Platner should be pressured to leave the race after a woman he once dated alleged he entered her home without permission and forced himself on her.

Platner denied the allegation in a video statement, calling it “troubling and false.”

Trump said Maine Democrats were in a difficult position.

“It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman,” Trump told reporters. “A lot of people say big falsehoods. He’s in a bind.”

Asked whether Democrats should be able to force Platner out of the race, Trump replied, “Well, I guess he’s going to lose.”

The president also drew a comparison to past allegations saying, “It’s very interesting, when a Republican woman came out with the same charge, nobody believed her. When this woman came out, everybody believed her.”