U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter Friday to bash the two women who confronted Republican Sen. Jeff Flake in the elevator last week — calling them paid professionals.
The two women, who said they are sexual assault survivors, stopped Flake on his way to Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination hearing on Sept. 28. Flake said he was going to vote in favour of Kavanaugh’s nomination, who has been accused of sexual assault by California professor Christie Blasey Ford.
“You are telling all women they don’t matter … that they should just stay quiet. That’s what you’re telling all of these women in America, that they don’t matter,” one of the women said through tears.
WATCH: Woman who confronted Sen. Flake speaks to Kavanaugh protesters
But Trump said the women are professionals paid by billionaire investor and liberal donor, George Soros.
“The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love!” Trump tweeted.
The women who confronted Flake were Maria Gallagher and Ana Maria Archila, sexual assault survivors who are now being hailed as activists who may be “changing the course of history.”
Archila, a Queens resident, is the co-executive director at the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD), an organization that works toward creating an “inclusive, equitable society” by advocating for “communities of colour, immigrants, working families, youth, women and the LGBTQ community.”
Gallagher, a New York resident, isn’t linked to the CPD directly, but is “just a passionate person,” the Miami Herald reported.
WATCH: Woman who confronted Jeff Flake believes her story ‘touched him’
The Senate is poised to take a crucial vote Friday on whether to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court amid the accusations sexual misconduct and intense protests in Washington.
Ahead of Friday’s voting, Republicans said they were confident in the FBI investigation into the allegations, saying it unearthed no new corroborating details.
— With files from Global News’ Jesse Ferreras