Trump addresses sexual-misconduct allegations: 'The phony story' is 'a TOTAL FABRICATION'

In tweets Thursday morning, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump dismissed allegations of sexual assault made against him by several women who came forward in published stories Wednesday.

Four women accused Donald Trump of making unwanted sexual advances on them in reports published Wednesday. The accusations came days after a salacious leaked tape showed Trump bragging in 2005 about groping women under his celebrity status.

The allegations, made by Jessica Leeds and Rachel Crooks in The New York Times, Natasha Stoynoff in People, and Mindy McGillivray in The Palm Beach Post, came after Trump denied ever making unwanted advances when asked during Sunday night's presidential debate.

"The phoney story in the failing @nytimes is a TOTAL FABRICATION," Trump said in one tweet. "Written by same people as last discredited story on woman. WATCH!"

Trump is likely referring to a May story in The New York Times about how he has interacted with women in private. That story was written by the same two reporters who wrote the Wednesday story with the new allegations. Early Thursday morning, a lawyer representing Trump sent a letter to the Times demanding a retraction and threatening the newspaper with a lawsuit.

Trump also attacked the women who wrote a first-hand account in People magazine about Trump allegedly making unwanted advances on her in 2005 when she interviewed him for a story.

"Why didn't the writer of the twelve year old article in People Magazine mention the 'incident' in her story," Trump tweeted. "Because it did not happen!"

None of the four women had previously come forward with their stories. They said they did so after Trump said in Sunday night's presidential debate that his bragging about groping women and kissing them without consent in the 2005 leaked tape was "just words" and "locker room talk."

In the tape, in which Trump was talking to NBC's Billy Bush aboard an "Access Hollywood" tour bus, Trump bragged about being able to "grab" women "by the p---y" because "when you're a star they let you do it."

Trump denied the latest allegations to the Times.

"None of this ever took place," he told the Times, threatening to sue the newspaper.

"You are a disgusting human being," he added to the reporter.

Allan Smith contributed to this report.