Mark Cuban Makes A Serious Claim Against Trump

In a phone appearance on CNN Tuesday night, businessman, investor, and Hillary Clinton supporter Mark Cuban claimed to know two women who alleged that they were sexually assaulted by Donald Trump. Bustle has reached out to Trump's campaign for comment on the matter. During the interview, Cuban accused Trump of assaulting the two women when pressed by CNN host Don Lemon about whether he believed allegations made by other women who have come forward in recent weeks alleging that they were groped or kissed without consent by Trump. So far, the GOP nominee has vehemently denied those allegations, which arose after the 2005 Access Hollywood recording was released.

Cuban knows Trump personally and the two men openly dislike one another; when news first broke that the Clinton campaign was inviting Cuban to attend a presidential debate, Trump threatened to invite Bill Clinton's alleged former mistress Gennifer Flowers in order to throw off Clinton. Cuban will attend Wednesday night's debate, as the Clinton campaign's guest.

When asked by Lemon, given their personal relationship (Cuban describes them as "more than acquaintances"), whether Cuban had "ever heard of anything" like what Trump's accusers are claiming, Cuban alleged:

I know one, and it just didn't happen recently. My friend reminded me, it was from 2000, and she — you know, I don't expect her to come forward, I wouldn't recommend she come forward — I know somebody else from two years ago that won't come forward. So it's not anything that takes me by surprise.

Cuban's allegations are the latest in a series of allegations that have surfaced since the second debate, during which Trump was asked point blank by moderator Anderson Cooper whether he had committed sexual assault, in response to a leaked hot mic tape in which Trump made comments about groping and kissing women without their consent. At the time, Trump denied ever having done so in practice, calling his recorded conversation "locker-room talk."

Trump has previously denied the allegations of those women, saying it's "totally and absolutely false" and claiming there's a "concerted effort" to take down his campaign. After the New York Times released its report alleging that two women were assaulted by Trump, for example, Trump took to Twitter to defend himself, saying, "The phony story in the Times is a total fabrication. Written by same people as last discredited story on women. Watch!"

Bustle has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment regarding Cuban's allegations.

Ahead of Wednesday night's debate, Cuban took to Twitter to tease Trump, saying "Can't wait to give a big hug to my bestie." After endorsing his rival, it's clear that the two aren't going to be friends.