Donald Trump mentions 'rape' accusation during attack on Bill Clinton

Screenshot/Fox News

In a Fox News interview Wednesday night, Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric on former President Bill Clinton, raising decades-old allegations from his history with various women.

Fox News anchor Sean Hannity asked Trump to comment on a recent New York Times exposé that highlighted the real-estate mogul's alleged treatment of women in the workplace.

Hannity appeared to counter the Times report by highlighting women who have, at various times, accused Bill Clinton of misconduct.

"Are they going to interview Juanita Broaddrick? ... Paula Jones? ... Kathleen Willey?" Hannity asked.

The host suggested that those women accused the former president of a range of offenses, including "exposure," and "groping and fondling."

"And rape," Trump added.

"And rape," Hannity repeated.

Trump has mentioned Bill Clinton's history with the three women before. Jones accused Clinton of exposing himself to her at an Arkansas hotel in the early 1990s. Clinton denied the accusation but eventually paid $850,000 as part of a settlement. Willey, a former White House volunteer, accused Clinton of grabbing and kissing her in the White House in 1993 — also an accusation Clinton has denied.

Broaddrick alleged in 1999 that Clinton had sexually assaulted and raped her more than two decades before. She revived those allegations earlier this year. Clinton, through a lawyer, has long ago denied her claims.

Trump on Wednesday said those cases were about "big settlements, massive settlements."

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has often framed his attacks against Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton around the alleged improprieties of her husband. One anti-Clinton Instagram post earlier this year invoked Bill Cosby and Monica Lewinsky, and ended with a Daily News cover of Bill Clinton under the headline, "Liar, Liar."

Hillary Clinton's campaign has said previously that it would not engage in Trump's personal attacks. The campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

For his part, Bill Clinton also declined to engage Tuesday when asked about Trump's assertion, in a tweet, that he was the "worst abuser" of women in US political history.

"I think people are smart enough to figure this out without my help," Bill Clinton said.

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