The White House on Monday denied allegations from a Trump campaign staffer that she was forcibly kissed by the then Republican candidate in 2016.

"This accusation is absurd on its face, this never happened and is directly contradicted by multiple highly credible eyewitness accounts," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

The accuser, Alva Johnson, said Trump kissed her without her consent in the southern state of Florida on Aug. 24, 2016 during a campaign stop. Johnson filed a federal lawsuit against Trump on Monday.

According to Johnson's recount, she was speaking with Trump in a recreational vehicle when he leaned over. Johnson turned her head before Trump kissed her on the corner of her mouth.

"I immediately felt violated because I wasn't expecting it or wanting it," Johnson told U.S. media.

Johnson's parents and her significant other confirmed to U.S. media that they were told about the episode after it took place, but two Trump campaign officials who were at the scene denied observing anything improper.

According to the lawsuit, Johnson initially decided to let the matter pass but changed her mind months later after Trump's Access Hollywood tape surfaced, which included crude remarks against women.

Xinhua