US election 2016: Transcript of Trump speech denying groping

Donald Trump has rejected a slew of accusations of sexual misconduct, telling supporters in Florida the women making the allegations were "horrible liars" and the media was colluding with rival Hillary Clinton. Here is a transcript of part of his speech.

"Now we address the slander and libels that was just last night thrown at me by the Clinton machine and the New York Times and other media outlets as part of a concerted, coordinated and vicious attack.

It's not coincidence that these attacks come at the exact same moment and altogether at the same time as Wikileaks releases documents exposing the massive international corruption of the Clinton machine including 2,000 more emails just this morning.

These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false.

And the Clintons know it, and they know it very well.

These claims are all fabricated, they're pure fiction and they're outright lies. These events never ever happened and the people [who] said them meekly fully understand. You take look at these people, you study these people, and you'll understand also.

'False smears'

The claims are preposterous, ludicrous, and defy truth, common sense, and logic. We already have substantial evidence to dispute these lies and it will be made public in an appropriate way and at an appropriate time, very soon.

These lies come from outlets whose past stories and past claims have already been discredited. The media outlets did not even to attempt to confirm the most basic facts because even a simple investigation would have shown that these were nothing more than false smears.

Six months ago the failing New York Times wrote a massive story attacking me and the central witness they used said the story was false, that she was quoted inaccurately. She said that I was a great guy. She had great courage - I'll be honest with you, she was an amazing person and never made those remarks - that I was a great guy and never made those remarks. And when I read the story I was sort of surprised, how could she say that, and she didn't say it.

We demanded a retraction but they refused to print it, just like they refused to print the comments from another source who praised me in her book, or the words of another wonderful women who said really nice things about me. They put other statements that she didn't say, they misrepresented.

The story was a fraud and a big embarrassment to the New York Times. And it was a big front page story, front page, centre, colour picture, a disgrace. They were very embarrassed. It will be part of the lawsuit we are preparing against them.

Now today, the same two discredited writers who should have been fired from the New York Times for what they did, tell another totally fabricated and false story that supposedly took place on an airplane more than 30 years ago. Another ridiculous tale, no witnesses, no nothing.

'Already debunked'

Then there was a writer from People Magazine who wrote a story on Melania and myself on our first anniversary. The story was beautiful. It was beautiful, it was lovely.

But last week we hear, after 12 years - this took place 12 years ago this story - a new claim that I made inappropriate advances during the interview to this writer, and I asked a very simple question, why wasn't it part of the story that appeared 12 years ago, why wasn't it part of the story, why didn't they make it part of the story?

I was one of the biggest stars on television with the Apprentice and it would have been one of the biggest stories of the year. Think of it!

She's doing a story on Melania who is pregnant at the time, and Donald Trump, our one year anniversary, and she said I made inappropriate advances. And by the way the area was a public area, people all over the place.

Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words, you tell me what you think. I don't think so, I don't think so.

But it is amazing, doing a story, a love story, about how great we are together - and by the way we are stronger today than we ever were before which is great - but, it's a love story, it's a love story on our one year.

And if I did that, she would have added that. It would have been the headline, and who would have done that if you're doing this and you're one of the top shows on television.

These people are horrible people. They're horrible horrible liars. And interestingly, it happens to appear 26 days before our very important election, isn't it amazing.

This invented account has already been debunked by eyewitnesses who were there. They were there - the very witness identified by the author has said the story is totally false.

By the way this is a room that everyone can see in. It's got glass walls. It's at Mar A Lago, it's got glass walls. Why wasn't it in the story, biggest story of the year.

This weekend the New York Times published a full page hit piece with another claim from an individual who has been totally discredited based on the many, many, many, emails and letters she has sent to our office over the years looking for work. Donald is great, wanting to go to my rallies.

But the New York Times, and this was a full op-ed piece, refused to use the evidence that we presented, refused to use it. If they used it, if they would have looked, they would have said oh there's no story here.

'Third rate journalism'

Others in the media, which almost surprises me, because they're dishonest also, were presented with this story by this woman numerous times and they got very excited, but after seeing the evidence that we immediately give them, all of them refused to write the story, there was no story.

The Times though didn't want to see it and they just wrote the story. And this was a full page opposite the editorials.

This is part of a concerted effort led by the New York Times and others. Now the New York Times is fighting desperately for its relevance and its financial survival and it probably won't even be around in a few years based on its financial outlook which wouldn't be a bad thing if you want to know the truth.

But as it winds down its years, and its becoming more and more problematic, its gotten more and more vicious, more and more vile, and even the other mainstream media is talking about the single greatest pile-on in history.

And all between now and November 8. And you have to see the stories they've written - it's one after another after another and facts mean nothing, third rate journalism. The great editors of the past from the New York Times and others ladies and gentlemen are spinning in their grave.

I will not allow the Clinton machine to turn our campaign into a discussion of their slanders and lies but will remain focused on the issues facing the American people.

But let me state this as clearly as I can, these attacks are orchestrated by the Clintons and their media allies.

The only thing Hillary Clinton has going for herself is the press.

Without the press, she is absolutely zero. And you saw that the other night in the debate when some people said she made virtually a fool of herself. This is not presidential material, believe me."

New York Times response

"The essence of a libel claim, of course, is the protection of one's reputation. Mr Trump has bragged about his non-consensual sexual touching of women. He has bragged about intruding on beauty pageant contestants in their dressing rooms. He acquiesced to a radio host's request to discuss Mr Trump's own daughter as a "piece of ass".

"Multiple women not mentioned in our article have publicly come forward to report on Mr Trump's unwanted advances.

"Nothing in our article has had the slightest effect on the reputation that Mr Trump, through his own words and actions, has already created for himself."

"We did what the law allows: We published newsworthy information about a subject of deep public concern.

"If Mr Trump disagrees, if he believes that American citizens had no right to hear what these women had to say and that the law of this country forces us and those who would dare to criticize him to stand silent or be punished, we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight."