Trump sexual misconduct accusers call for congressional investigation

Three of the women who have accused US President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct on Monday called for him to face a congressional investigation.

The women, whose allegations first surfaced more than a year ago during the 2016 presidential election, appeared at a joint press conference and in a television interview as the US is engaged in a national conversation over sexual assault and harassment that has focused on prominent men in politics, Hollywood and the media.

"If they were willing to investigate Senator [Al] Franken I think it's only fair that they do the same for Trump," said Rachel Crooks, who has said Trump forcibly kissed her in 2005 when she worked in Trump Tower in New York.

Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations from some 16 women. The White House again denounced them, calling the matter settled by his electoral victory.

The women, including Samatha Holvey, who detailed Trump's behaviour toward contestants during a Miss USA competition, and Jessica Leeds, who said Trump groped her on an aeroplane in the late 1970s, said they thought he should resign.

"I think he should resign but I don't think he's going to, so I think the investigation from Congress is the best thing we can hope for," Crooks said.

The women said they had been shocked that Trump was elected president despite the allegations, but were coming forward again given the renewed focus on the issue.

"In some areas of our society people are being held accountable for unwanted behaviour, but our president is not being held accountable," Leeds said.

Film-maker Robert Greenwald, who called the women together, said the cultural conversation had changed in the last year prompting the need to draw renewed attention to the allegations against the president.

"Let's try round two," Holvey said. "The environment's different: Let's try again."

Franken was one of three lawmakers to announce their resignation last week amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Democrat from Minnesota called it ironic that he was resigning while Trump has bragged about being able to grope women, and Senate candidate Roy Moore had the support of the Republican Party despite accusations of molesting teenage girls.

The women said Trump was now passing the torch to Moore by endorsing the candidate ahead of a special election in Alabama on Tuesday despite accusations he pursued teenagers while in his 30s during the 1970s.

Another of Trump's accusers, Summer Zervos, has sued the president for defamation.

Many of the women had come forward initially after a videotaped outtake from 2005 from the "Access Hollywood" television show revealed Trump talking about grabbing women by their genitals.