Trump Is Said to Plan Strategy for Roy Moore Upon Return to U.S.

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump will discuss the controversy over Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore with his top political advisers and senior aides this week after his return from a 12-day Asia trip, an administration official said.

Trump plans to review a range of options to deal with Moore, whom an Alabama woman has accused of sexual assault when she was a child. Four other women told the Washington Post that Moore sought romantic relationships with them when they were children and he was an adult, and one said he initiated a sexual encounter with her.

Moore won the Republican nomination for the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and the special election is Dec. 12. He has denied the allegations.

The aide declined to discuss how Trump will be advised to handle the matter. His options include taking no action; making a public statement or private telephone calls to people involved in the race and party officials; or weighing in on the recruitment of a write-in candidate to challenge Moore.

Many Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have called for Moore to withdraw from the race. He has so far declined.

To contact the reporter on this story: Margaret Talev in Washington at mtalev@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Mike Dorning

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