Women who accuse Donald Trump of sexual assault unite to demand investigation by Congress

Accusers to share 'first-hand accounts' of President's alleged behaviour

Sixteen women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct (Getty Images)

A group of women who have accused Donald Trump of sexual assault and harassment have united to demand an investigation by Congress.

The women, who are among 16 to have lodged allegations of sexual misconduct against the US President, will speak at a press conference and in TV appearances on Monday.

His accusers will "share their first-hand accounts of President Trump groping, fondling, forcibly kissing, humiliating and harassing women", according to a press release.

Mr Trump has previously denied the claims and said all 16 women were lying.

The 10.30am EST (3.30pm GMT) press conference is being hosted by production company Brave New Films, which last month released a documentary, 16 Women and Donald Trump, about the allegations.

The company said the women "will call for accountability and an investigation by Congress".

Three of the 16 women - Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey, and Rachel Crooks - will also appear together on NBC's Megyn Kelly Today on Monday.

The allegations against Mr Trump predate his presidency and the #MeToo movement that emerged in the wake of claims about film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, this week said that Mr Trump's accusers "should be heard".

“Women who accuse anyone should be heard," she told the CBS current affairs programme Face the Nation. "They should be heard and they should be dealt with. And I think we heard from them prior to the election. And I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way, they have every right to speak up.”

In October Mr Trump dismissed the allegations as “totally fake news", adding: "It's fake, it’s made-up stuff."

The accusations began to emerge after the now-infamous Access Hollywood audio surfaced ahead of the presidential election in July 2016.

Mr Trump’s voice can be heard on the Entertainment Tonight programme with host Billy Bush, speaking disparagingly about women’s body parts and saying: “when you’re a celebrity they let you do anything.”

At least 11 women came forward after that the audio emerged alleging the President touched or kissed them without consent.

Mr Trump said at the time the accusations were “total fiction” and that he was victim of one of the "great political smear campaigns in the history of our country”, implying Democrats may have had something to do with it.