President Trump Says 'Hard' to Imagine Kavanaugh Did Wrong
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President Donald Trump says "we'll have to make a decision" if Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's sexual-assault accuser "makes a credible showing" before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He said Wednesday it would be "very interesting."

Trump calls Kavanaugh an "outstanding man" and says it's "very hard" for him to imagine anything happened.

The Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing for Monday and has invited Kavanaugh and California college professor Christine Blasey Ford to testify regarding her allegation against him.

Ford says a drunken Kavanaugh assaulted her decades ago when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied Ford's allegation and has said he's willing to appear before the committee.

Ford's attorneys say she wants the FBI to investigate her allegation before she testifies.

But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Iowa's Chuck Grassley, says an FBI investigation wouldn't have any bearing on Ford's testimony so "there is no reason for further delay." Other Republicans are suggesting that Ford will have only this one opportunity to testify.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump showered sympathy on Kavanaugh. The president too has rejected the idea of bringing in the FBI to reopen its background check of the appeals court judge.

Ford's lawyers say she has been the target of "vicious harassment and even death threats" since coming forward with her story.

Kavanaugh has denied the charge.

Ford, came forward Sunday in an interview with The Washington Post to say a drunken Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take off her clothes at a party when they were teenagers.

Kavanaugh says in the statement he "had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself."

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On Friday, he denied the allegation stating, "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."

The New Yorker reported the alleged incident took place at a party when Kavanaugh was attending Georgetown Preparatory School. The woman making the allegation attended a nearby school.

Rallying to Kavanaugh's defense, 65 women who knew Kavanaugh in high school issued a letter saying he has "always treated women with decency and respect."

Republicans hope to confirm Kavanaugh in time for the first day of the new Supreme Court term, Oct. 1.

Kavanaugh has been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia since 2006. 

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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