Washington - Donald Trump says he saved former Miss Universe Alicia Machado's job by shaming her into losing weight.
Trump told Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Wednesday night that he "saved her job because they wanted to fire her for putting on so much weight."
Trump says he said, "'Don't do that, let her try and lose the weight.'"
Machado says that Trump humiliated her by inviting reporters to her gym sessions and calling her "Miss Piggy".
But Trump says he deserves thanks.
"I helped somebody and this is what you get for helping somebody," he says.
He adds that she and other girls knew what they were getting into, adding, "It's a beauty contest."
Earlier, in Monday night's televised presidential debate Republican candidate Trump brushed off Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's claim that he'd once shamed Machado for her weight.
Machado is the 1996 winner of the pageant he once owned.
Trump's comments are at 6 minutes in this video...
undefinedClinton's campaign called on Trump to apologise to Machado.
Clinton campaign spokeswoman Jen Palmieri told reporters Wednesday that Trump and his campaign "should stop bullying her."
Trump aides have seized upon reports that Machado threatened to kill a judge in Venezuela in 1998. She was never charged with any criminal involvement.
Machado said in a Tuesday interview with CNN that "everybody has a past."
AP
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