Putin grants Russian citizenship to Biden accuser Tara Reade

Moscow, Russia - Tara Reade, an American woman who claimed US ex-President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in the 1990s, was granted Russian citizenship on Monday, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin.

Tara Reade (r.) has been granted Russian citizenship, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin.
Tara Reade (r.) has been granted Russian citizenship, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin.  © Collage: Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP & IMAGO / Russian Look

A document published on the official legal information website stated that "McCabe Alexandra Tara, born February 26, 1964", is now a Russian citizen.

According to the US media, Reade changed her name to Alexandra McCabe in 1998 to protect herself from her former husband, whom she accused of domestic violence.

In early 2020, Reade claimed that Biden, who was running for election, sexually assaulted her in a corridor in the US Congress in 1993, when he was a senator and she was working for him.

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The accusation, categorically denied by the Democratic politician, was still a challenge for his campaign against Donald Trump, then in his first term as US president.

Trump himself has faced accusations of sexual assault, harassment, and rape from several women. He was found liable for sexual abuse in a 2023 civil case, and returned to power in 2025.

Inconsistencies in Reade's account included no record being found of the complaint that she claimed to have filed with Congress after the alleged assault.

Reade says she fears her safety in the US

In May 2023, she announced in an interview with the Sputnik state media that she intended to ask for a Russian passport.

Speaking from Moscow, Reade said she had decided to stay in Russia because she feared for her safety in her home country.

In July 2024, she announced on social media platform X that she was returning to the US to file a complaint against Biden for sexual assault, several days before the ailing president pulled out of his race for re-election.

Cover photo: Collage: Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP & IMAGO / Russian Look

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