Amy Dorris
Amy Dorris and Donald J. Trump
This page summarises publicly reported allegations made by Amy Dorris concerning Donald J. Trump. It draws exclusively on reputable, live, verifiable sources. Allegations are not criminal findings, and Trump’s denial is included for balance.
Last updated: 20 November 2025
Summary
Amy Dorris, a former model and actor, alleged in 2020 that Donald J. Trump forcibly kissed and groped her outside his VIP box at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on 5 September 1997. In an exclusive interview published by a major international news outlet, Dorris said Trump grabbed her face, kissed her without consent and groped her in a way that made her feel “sick” and “violated.” She stated that the incident happened while she was attending the tournament with her then-boyfriend, who was a friend of Trump’s.
Trump’s legal team denied the allegation, questioning the consistency of her account and saying that multiple witnesses in the VIP area would contradict her claims. Dorris did not pursue criminal or civil action, and the allegation remains unadjudicated in any court. Her account, however, continues to appear in major news outlets’ reporting on allegations made against Trump.
Key Facts
• Alleged incident:
5 September 1997, outside Trump’s VIP box at the U.S. Open tennis tournament at Flushing Meadows, New York.
• Public disclosure:
17 September 2020 through a major international news exclusive with follow-up reporting by national and international outlets.
• Nature of allegation:
Dorris alleges that Trump forcibly kissed her, grabbed her face and groped her body without consent. She has said she was shocked, attempted to pull away and felt trapped at the time.
• Corroboration:
People close to Dorris, including friends and relatives, confirmed that she had told them about the alleged incident around the time it occurred.
• Trump’s response:
Through his lawyers, Trump denied the allegation, calling it false and stating that eyewitnesses would contradict it.
• Legal action:
None filed as of 20 November 2025.
Explanation:
These facts highlight the alleged conduct, the context, who has corroborated elements of the claim, how it became public and how Trump’s legal team responded. The allegation remains part of the public record but has not been aired in a courtroom.
Timeline
5 September 1997 – U.S. Open incident
According to Dorris, the alleged encounter occurred during the 1997 U.S. Open. She says that Trump, whom she met through her then-boyfriend, pulled her close outside his VIP box, forcibly kissed her and groped her. She described trying to push him off and feeling physically “blocked” from moving away. She has said the encounter lasted long enough for her to feel frightened and nauseated.
1997–2020 – Private disclosure
Although the alleged assault was not publicly reported at the time, Dorris has said she told several trusted people about the incident shortly after it occurred. Years later, these individuals confirmed to reporters that she had described the event to them in the late 1990s.
17 September 2020 – Public disclosure
Dorris’s allegation was published in an exclusive news interview. The report included several photos showing Dorris with Trump during the U.S. Open period, which she said were taken on the same weekend as the incident. The report also included corroboration from friends and relatives and noted that Trump’s legal team had been contacted for comment.
17–18 September 2020 – Global coverage and denial
International and U.S. media organisations reported on the allegation. Trump’s legal team issued a denial, stating the claim was false, inconsistent and contradicted by eyewitnesses in the VIP suite.
2020–2025 – Ongoing coverage without legal action
Following the initial publication, the allegation appeared regularly in major outlets’ summaries of accusations against Trump. No civil complaint, police report or legal claim has been filed by Dorris, and the matter has not progressed beyond the public statements made in 2020.
Media Coverage
A major international newspaper first published the allegation in 2020, including extensive detail from an interview with Dorris and statements from her friends and family. The report also included photographs from the 1997 U.S. Open and documented attempts to seek comment from Trump’s legal team.
A major U.S. broadcaster then covered the allegation, summarising Dorris’s claims, showing images from the period and reporting Trump’s legal response. The broadcaster noted the significance of the allegation emerging during the 2020 election cycle, alongside other allegations about conduct in the 1990s and 2000s.
An internationally recognised public-service broadcaster published Trump’s denial the next day. Its coverage emphasised both the seriousness of the allegation and the strong denial issued by Trump’s lawyers, noting that they claimed the story was contradicted by witnesses and was politically motivated.
These three major outlets continue to provide the foundation for current reporting on the allegation.
Responses and Statements
Donald J. Trump / legal team
Trump’s lawyers issued a categorical denial of the allegation. They stated that Dorris’s account was false, inconsistent with known facts and contradicted by eyewitnesses who were present in the VIP suite. They also challenged the motives behind the disclosure.
Amy Dorris
Dorris has stated that she came forward in 2020 after speaking with her daughters and reflecting on the importance of publicly sharing her experience. She has said she wanted to support other women who made similar allegations and hoped that telling her story would contribute to wider conversations about consent and power.
Context and Considerations
The allegation is one of many dating from Trump’s private and public life before his presidency. Alleged incidents from the 1980s through the early 2000s often lack contemporaneous documentation; however, in Dorris’s case, photographs from the weekend and testimony from friends and family support the timeline she describes.
It is important to note that while the allegation has been widely reported, it has never been litigated. Trump’s denial remains firm, and no independent legal body has evaluated the evidence. The claim sits within a larger landscape of allegations that have shaped public debate about sexual misconduct, celebrity influence and the difficulty many victims face when reporting incidents years later.
Conclusion
Amy Dorris alleges that Donald J. Trump forcibly kissed and groped her during the U.S. Open in 1997. Her account became public in 2020, supported by friends and relatives who said she told them at the time. Trump denies the allegation, saying eyewitnesses contradict her story. No legal actions have followed, and the allegation remains untested in court. Despite the lack of proceedings, the claim remains part of the public record and continues to be cited by major news outlets.
Sources
The Guardian – “Donald Trump accused of sexual assault by former model Amy Dorris” (17 Sept 2020)
CBS News – “Woman accuses Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her at 1997 U.S. Open” (18 Sept 2020)
Rolling Stone – “Former Model Accuses President Trump of Sexual Assault” (17 Sept 2020)