President Trump hosted a ceremonial swearing-in of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Monday evening, declaring victory in the contentious fight to confirm a man accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct. Trump’s apology came hours after he told reporters that accusations against Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick were “a hoax set up by the Democrats.”

President Donald Trump: “On behalf of our nation, I want to apologize to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure. Those who step forward to serve our country deserve a fair and dignified evaluation, not a campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception.”

President Trump falsely claimed Kavanaugh had been “proven innocent” during his confirmation process. Monday evening’s unprecedented ceremony brought together all nine Supreme Court justices and Republican leaders in the East Room of the White House. The room burst into applause after Trump ordered a standing ovation for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his role in speeding Kavanaugh’s confirmation through the Senate. Among those applauding was Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was confirmed in 1991 despite testimony by Anita Hill that Thomas repeatedly sexually harassed her when he was her supervisor.

Meanwhile, attorney Debra Katz said Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is still living in hiding after her Senate testimony last month, amid what Katz called “unending” death threats.