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Donald Trump's daughter: My father is 'not a groper'

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is joined by his wife Melania, right, and daughter Ivanka, left, as he arrives for a primary night news conference in New York. Picture by Mary Altaffer/AP
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is joined by his wife Melania, right, and daughter Ivanka, left, as he arrives for a primary night news conference in New York. Picture by Mary Altaffer/AP Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is joined by his wife Melania, right, and daughter Ivanka, left, as he arrives for a primary night news conference in New York. Picture by Mary Altaffer/AP

DONALD Trump's daughter, Ivanka, has defended her father against claims he mistreats women, insisting he is "not a groper".

Ivanka Trump was pressed about recent allegations from several women about her father's behaviour in a US television interview.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee's daughter denied that Mr Trump frequently comments on women's bodies and appearances. She also said she did not believe a claim that her father had groped a woman in a business meeting.

She said: "Well, look, I'm - I'm not in every interaction my father has. But he's not a groper. It's not who he is."

Ms Trump had previously voted for and donated to Hillary Clinton. She says she believes Mrs Clinton is now making gender a major factor in the race and that she would not vote for someone solely because of gender.

As Mr Trump prepares to take on Mrs Clinton in the general election, his past treatment of women has come under renewed scrutiny and several polls have him with poor approval ratings with women.

Ms Trump avoided questions about whether it was appropriate for Bill Clinton's infidelities to be campaign trail fodder, saying: "You will have to ask my father about it."

Speaking of Mrs Clinton, she said: "I think she's using gender as well. I'm not going to advocate for a female leader who I'm voting for solely on the basis of gender. And I think a lot of people feel that way."

Ms Trump has a successful clothing line and, along with her two brothers, has largely run her father's business during the Republican campaign.