A man arrested after a Southwest Airlines flight is facing a federal charge of abusive sexual contact, and court documents say he allegedly pointed to a remark by President Donald Trump when he was taken into custody.
According to USA Today and an FBI affidavit, Bruce, 49, was seated behind a woman on a flight from Houston to Albuquerque. About 20 minutes in, she said she felt his hand on her right breast and thought it was an accident. About 30 minutes later she said he grabbed the back of her arm and touched her ribs and then her breast again. She stood up, confronted him and asked a flight attendant for a new seat.
After landing, Bruce was questioned by officials and arrested. Court documents say he allegedly told them, “the president of the United States says it’s OK to grab women by their private parts.” That appears to refer to a 2005 recording of Trump that surfaced during the 2016 campaign. According to the affidavit, he also told authorities he did not remember touching the woman. He has not been convicted, and the charge is an allegation.
Southwest told USA Today, “We take protection of our customers very seriously, and safety is at the forefront of everything we do at Southwest.” The airline said its flight attendants are trained to re seat customers and notify the pilots to request law enforcement when appropriate, and that it cooperates with law enforcement.
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