Trump says he feels ‘bad’ for Cornell 7 and calls investigator by ‘racist’ nickname

| Freelance News Reporter Published October 3, 2026 10:05am Updated October 3, 2026 10:05am Donald Trump told reporters he believed the Cornell 7 would not get a ‘fair shake’ after New York attorney general Letitia James was appointed as investigator into the case (Picture: Getty Images) Donald Trump used a racist nickname to refer to Cornell 7 investigator Letitia James as he admitted feeling ‘badly’ for the accused rapists. The US president called the New York attorney general ‘Peekaboo’ James, branding her ‘corrupt’ after she was appointed to probe the case. ‘Why would the Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, appoint a Corrupt Prosecutor, Letitia “Peekaboo” James, to represent the State in the highly controversial Cornell University rape case?’, he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump had previously told the press he believed Cornell University was a ‘fine school’ that would do ‘what’s right’ in response to the allegations that seven of its fraternity members had drugged and gang-raped a female student for hours at a house party. But he told reporters that he felt for the seven alleged rapists, insisting they ‘wouldn’t get a fair hearing’ with James in charge. Letitia James previously successfully prosecuted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records (Picture: 2026 Getty Images) He said: ‘Letitia James is a corrupt person. She’s totally corrupt and I can’t imagine it. I feel badly for whoever she’s looking at because they won’t get a fair shake.’ Trump’s ‘peekaboo’ nickname for James has sparked theories he is trying to be racist, with social media users saying he wishes to use an insult that rhymes with ‘peekaboo’ and begins with the letter J. James has a history with Trump, having successfully prosecuted the Republican president on 34 counts of falsifying business records before he returned to the White House in 2025. The case resulted in the businessman and property magnate being fined more than $400 million, however the penalty was later waived for being excessive. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In a statement on Friday, James said: ‘I stand ready to lead a process guided by the facts and the law. In the coming months, my office will dutifully carry out the responsibilities the governor has conferred upon us in this executive order. ‘We will review the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and, if warranted, pursue prosecutions. I know that you want answers. I do too.’ Cornell University defended its handling of the allegations, having closed the Chi Phi chapter which is now barred from the campus. In an interview transcript obtained by CBS, the victim said she 100 per cent certain she was raped and was physically hit ‘very, very hard’. James’ appointment as investigator was backed by New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani. He wrote on X: ‘The allegations in the Cornell sexual assault case are deeply disturbing and gut-wrenching. Cornell University has failed this survivor. ‘I fully support Governor Hochul’s decision to name Attorney General James as special prosecutor in this case and look forward to the complete and extensive investigation that is to come. ‘Accountability and justice cannot simply be values, they must also be delivered.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Christa Pike unconscious and placed on ventilator after two failed execution attempts Arrow MORE: Trump admits he’s ‘not a big drinker of water’ then dumps glass mid-speech Arrow MORE: New bodycam footage shows cop say ‘it’s f***ing him’ when finding Luigi Mangione News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.