Updated February 15, 2018 18:22:16

Photo: Former White House aide Rob Porter (C) was often seen with Donald Trump. (AP: Evan Vucci)

US President Donald Trump has explicitly denounced domestic violence in the wake of allegations that a top White House aide abused two former wives.

The scandal surrounding the allegations against Rob Porter erupted initially without the President's involvement, while chief of staff John Kelly came under fire for his handling of the matter.

But Mr Trump fed the fury last week when he defended Mr Porter and questioned the #MeToo movement that sprang up in recent months to protest the mistreatment of many women.

In Mr Trump's first comments after Mr Porter resigned, he praised his former aide.

Next, he appeared to cast doubt on the ex-wives' allegations by tweeting: "Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation".

But on Wednesday, Mr Trump took a harder and more definitive stance on the issue.

"I am totally opposed to domestic violence and everybody here knows that," Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

How do we account for our collective blindness to violence against women for century after century, asks Mark MacDiarmid.

"I am totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind. Everyone knows that, and it almost wouldn't even have to be said.

"So now you hear it, but you all know it."

The chaos surrounding Mr Porter's departure cast a harsh spotlight on Mr Kelly, the retired general who was brought on last summer to instil military-like discipline in the West Wing.

Questions persist about what and when Mr Kelly knew about the abuse allegations against Mr Porter, who resigned as staff secretary last week after the accusations became public.

AP/ABC

Topics: donald-trump, world-politics, government-and-politics, domestic-violence, united-states

First posted February 15, 2018 18:12:33