Melania: Loves Trump, ignores rumors

WASHINGTON -- Melania Trump says she loves President Donald Trump and has "much more important things to think about" than allegations he cheated on her with a porn star, a Playboy Playmate or anyone else.

Mrs. Trump, who was interviewed by ABC while touring Africa last week, said people are just spreading rumors about her marriage.

"I know people like to speculate and media like to speculate about our marriage and circulate the gossip," she said. "But I understand the gossip sells newspapers, magazines ... and, unfortunately, we live in this kind of world today."

She insisted allegations of her husband's infidelities are not a concern. Trump, who during the 2016 presidential campaign was heard on an old "Access Hollywood" tape talking about groping and trying to have sex with women, has been accused of having multiple affairs. Porn actress Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal have said they had sex with him years ago.

Trump has denied the trysts with Daniels and McDougal but has acknowledged reimbursing his lawyer for a $130,000 hush money payment made to Daniels. Mrs. Trump has generally kept quiet on the subject.

Asked in the ABC interview whether she loves her husband, Mrs. Trump said, "Yes, we are fine. Yes."

She played down a suggestion the repeated rumors of his philandering had put a strain on their marriage.

"It is not concern and focus of mine," she said. "I'm a mother and a first lady, and I have much more important things to think about and to do."

But when she was asked whether the repeated rumors had hurt her, she paused. Then she reiterated the "media world is speculating."

"Yeah, it's not always pleasant, of course," she said. "But I know what is right and what is wrong and what is true and not true."

Portions of Mrs. Trump's interview aired Friday on "Good Morning America." Her full interview aired Friday night in an ABC News special, "Being Melania -- The First Lady."

Other portions of the interview aired earlier this week featured Mrs. Trump saying she could be "the most bullied person" in the world and saying women who make accusations of sexual assault need to "show the evidence."

Donald Trump, on the 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape that became public during the 2016 campaign, says when he's attracted to beautiful women, "I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet." He said when you're a star, women let you." Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations alleging he, Trump and the National Enquirer tabloid were involved in buying the silence of Daniels and McDougal after they alleged affairs with Trump.