Brooks Kraft/ Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Taking a rare public stance on the state of campaign discourse, Melania Trump, the wife of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, spoke out today, calling her husband’s attacks on former President Bill Clinton a fair response to what the Democrats “started.”
As the New York businessman continues to assail Hillary Clinton’s husband on the campaign trail, Melania Trump was asked in an interview by Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt if Bill Clinton’s past behavior was relevant.
“They’re asking for it,” Melania Trump said.
“They started from the beginning of the campaign putting my picture from modeling days,” she added, accusing the Clinton campaign of disseminating her nude photos.
In August, the New York Post dug up and published racy photos of Melania Trump when she first came to the U.S. to model. During the GOP primaries, the anti-Trump super PAC Make America Awesome used Melania Trump’s nude GQ cover to try and sway Mormon voters in Utah to cast their ballots for Sen. Ted Cruz. There’s no evidence of the Clinton campaign sharing these photos.
As part of the Fox News interview, as well as one with CNN’s Anderson Cooper that is set to air tonight, Melania Trump addressed the 2005 video in which her husband is heard bragging about groping women and making vulgar comments for the first time since its release more than a week ago.
In the CNN interview, Melania Trump said she thought former “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush, who is also heard in the 2005 video, was encouraging of Trump’s behavior.
“He was egged on from the host to say dirty and bad stuff,” Melania Trump said.
The Republican nominee’s wife and potential first lady said her husband’s remarks were “offensive” and “inappropriate” but that after her husband apologized, the couple is “moving on.”
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