Rape accused ‘upset’ seeing woman’s messages to Barron Trump, court told

A man accused of raping a woman said he was “upset” when he saw her messages to Donald Trump’s youngest son, a court has heard.

Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court accused of assault and two counts of rape, among other charges, against the alleged victim, who jurors have heard is friends with Barron Trump.

Giving evidence on Thursday, Rumiantsev told jurors he became aware of the woman’s friendship with Mr Trump, 19, while on a holiday in October 2024.

The Russian citizen, who lives in London, told the court: “She (the alleged victim) came up to me in the hotel room and she asked me to take a picture of her phone on which there was a chat with Barron Trump.

“The kind of chat they had didn’t allow her to take a screenshot so she came up to me and asked me to take a photograph with the phone.”

Jurors heard that on November 3, 2024, Rumiantsev and the alleged victim had an argument at her flat and Rumiantsev left the apartment after damaging her air fryer and dropping her kettle.

He said that after he left he received phone calls and text messages from the alleged victim which made him concerned for her welfare so he called the police.

Jurors have heard that after police arrived, in bodyworn footage the woman can be heard apparently telling officers “it was like jealousy, controlling of like who I can be friends with”.

Asked by his barrister Sasha Wass KC whether this was about the US president’s son, the defendant said that it was.

Rumiantsev, who wore a blue suit and white shirt in the witness box, told jurors that earlier that evening the alleged victim had brought Mr Trump up and started showing him her messages with the 19-year-old.

“I started to explain that I felt upset as well about her talking to Barron Trump,” he said.

“I was in no way controlling but I was trying to make her know that if she feels unwell seeing messages I had with girls ten years ago, she could maybe understand how I felt when she was sat there this moment texting someone else.”

The court heard that later that day Rumiantsev sent the alleged victim a text in Russian, translated into English which said: “I honestly cannot believe what a f*** up I caused.

“This is just f****** nuts.

“I behaved like an arsehole. I’m very ashamed that I grabbed your phone, you started calling him sweetheart, I felt so unwell.”

Asked who “him” was, Rumiantsev said “Barron Trump”.

Rumiantsev denies assault, actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation perverting the course of justice and two counts of rape, in charges dating between November 1, 2024, and January 23, 2025.

The trial continues.