Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination, caused one of many recent controversies when he referred to many Mexican immigrants as "rapists." Now, The Daily Beast reports that he was at one point called that himself.

In a 1989 deposition during their high-profile divorce, Ivana Trump reportedly used the word "rape" to describe a sexual encounter she had with her husband and said she felt "violated" by it. She later talked about it to author Harry Hurt III in his book about Trump.

In the book, Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump, Hurt describes the scene like this: Trump had a painful surgery to get rid of a bald spot, done by Ivana's former surgeon. Donald, furious with the result, tore off Ivana's clothes and forced himself inside her "for the first time in more than sixteen months." Donald denies even having the surgery that started the fight, and Ivana has said that she didn't mean for the term to be used "in a literal or criminal sense."

Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, responded to the allegations grossly. "She was not referring to it [as] a criminal matter, and not in its literal sense, though there's many literal senses to the word," he said, adding that she meant it in an emotional context. "And, of course, understand that by the very definition, you can't rape your spouse. […] And there's very clear case law." Cohen then threatened to sue The Daily Beast if it ran a story. "I'm going to mess your life up … for as long as you're on this frickin' planet," he said.

Cohen apologized for his words in an interview with CNN, saying, "In my moment of shock and anger, I made an inarticulate comment — which I do not believe — and which I apologize for entirely." Trump distanced himself from his lawyer, saying he didn't know about the comments, disagrees with them, and that only he can speak for himself. 

Ivana released the following statement to CNN:

I have recently read some comments attributed to me from nearly 30 years ago at a time of very high tension during my divorce from Donald. The story is totally without merit. Donald and I are the best of friends and together have raised three children that we love and are very proud of. I have nothing but fondness for Donald and wish him the best of luck on his campaign. Incidentally, I think he would make an incredible president.

From: Cosmopolitan US