Trump: Lawyer ‘Not Speaking For Me’ On Marital Rape

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference after a rally and picnic, Saturday, July 25, 2015, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
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After a special counsel to Donald Trump said that legally, a man cannot rape his wife, the presidential candidate on Tuesday distanced himself from his lawyer’s comments.

“He’s speaking for himself. He’s not speaking for me, obviously,” Trump told CNN about his lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Cohen made the comments while defending his boss from allegations made by Trump’s ex-wife that he once sexually assaulted her.

“You’re talking about the frontrunner for the GOP, a presidential candidate, as well as a private individual who never raped anybody. And, of course, understand that by the very definition, you can’t rape your spouse,” Cohen told the Daily Beast, which resurfaced the claims made by Trump’s ex-wife, Ivana Trump, on Monday night. “You cannot rape your spouse. And there’s very clear case law.”

Cohen apologized for his comments about marital rape on Tuesday, calling his remarks “inarticulate.”

Though Trump said he “disagreed” with Cohen, he told CNN that he would not be fired and defended Cohen’s anger in reacting to the Daily Beast’s questions about the rape allegations.

“Michael was extremely angry because he knew it never took place. He knew this website was a joke — considered a joke. And he was very angry, and maybe he didn’t even understand the question,” Trump told CNN on Tuesday.

Trump has denied the allegations, and Ivana Trump has defended her ex-husband since making her initial statements about sexual assault.

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