Donald Trump has criticised New York Attorney General Letitia James over her appointment under an executive order to examine sexual assault allegations linked to Cornell University, saying on Friday, 2 October, that he felt 'badly' for the seven men alleged to have been involved.
Trump also referred to James as 'Peekaboo' James in a post on Truth Social, while calling her 'corrupt' and questioning New York Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to appoint her to lead the inquiry.
The remarks came as scrutiny intensified over allegations involving a former Cornell University student who says she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members during a house party in 2024. James is now responsible for reviewing the allegations and determining whether any prosecutions are warranted.
Donald Trump Criticises Investigation Into 'Cornell 7'
For context, Hochul appointed James after concerns were raised about Cornell University's response to the allegations. The university has defended its actions and said it has suspended the Chi Phi fraternity chapter at issue, barring it from campus.
Trump had previously described Cornell as a 'fine school' and said he expected the university to 'do what's right'. His latest comments took a different direction, focusing on the seven men accused in the alleged assault and on James's role in examining the case.
'Letitia James is a corrupt person. She's totally corrupt and I can't imagine it. I feel badly for whoever she's looking at because they won't get a fair shake,' Trump said.
The president did not provide evidence in the remarks to support his allegation that James would deny those under investigation a fair hearing.
In a statement on Friday, James said her office would examine the evidence and speak to those involved before deciding whether prosecutions were justified.
'I stand ready to lead a process guided by the facts and the law. In the coming months, my office will dutifully carry out the responsibilities the governor has conferred upon us in this executive order,' James said.
'We will review the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and, if warranted, pursue prosecutions. I know that you want answers. I do too.'
Cornell University Case Draws Political Fire
The 'Peekaboo' nickname has also become a separate point of controversy. According to online reactions cited in the coverage, some social media users have interpreted Trump's choice of wording as an attempt to invoke a racial insult aimed at James. That interpretation cannot be established from the post itself, however, and the available material does not show that Trump explicitly stated such an intention.
James's appointment has received support from New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, who described the allegations as 'deeply disturbing and gut-wrenching'.
'Cornell University has failed this survivor,' Mamdani wrote on X. He said he supported Hochul's decision to appoint James and expected a 'complete and extensive investigation'.
The underlying allegations remain contested and subject to investigation. In an interview transcript obtained by CBS, the woman who made the allegations said she was '100 per cent certain' she had been raped and recalled being physically struck 'very, very hard'.
Those allegations have not, by themselves, established criminal responsibility for the seven men. That distinction matters, particularly in a case that has rapidly become entangled with national politics.
James's office says its task is to establish what happened, gather evidence and determine whether criminal charges are warranted. That process is now unfolding against the backdrop of Trump's public criticism.
There is also a clear political dimension to the dispute. James and Trump have previously clashed, making her appointment particularly sensitive for the president and his supporters. But the Cornell investigation is formally about the allegations surrounding the fraternity party, not the wider political battles involving either figure.
For the woman who made the allegations, the focus remains on what she says happened at the Cornell fraternity house in 2024. For the investigators, the question is narrower and harder: what, if anything, can be proved?
