Trump uses the word 'rape' when discussing Bill Clinton

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has used the word "rape" in discussing past allegations of sexual misconduct involving former President Bill Clinton, further escalating his rhetoric on the subject.

In an interview Wednesday night with Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, Trump was answering questions about an unflattering story published this past weekend by The New York Times involving his relationships with women when he turned his attention to Bill Clinton.

In response to the exchange, Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement: Trump is doing what he does best, attacking when he feels wounded and dragging the American people through the mud for his own gain.

Trump has made clear in recent weeks that he intends to make Bill Clinton's sexual history a key campaign issue, describing him at rallies and on social media as "the worst abuser of women in the history of politics" and labeling his wife an "enabler."