Even as dozens of advertisers backed away from Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's top-rated evening news program because of a mounting sexual harassment scandal, United States President Donald Trump defended him saying he was a 'good person.'
"I think he's a person I know well - he is a good person," Trump told the New York Times, adding, "I think he shouldn't have settled; personally I think he shouldn't have settled. Because you should have taken it all the way. I don't think Bill did anything wrong."
Following a New York Times investigation, more than 20 advertisers cut their ties to O'Reilly's show. The show said about $13m in settlements had been paid to women who had accused O'Reilly of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour.
In response to the allegations, O'Reilly said in a statement that his notoriety made him "vulnerable to lawsuits" and that he had paid settlements to "put to rest any controversies to spare his children."
O'Reilly has interviewed Trump multiple times, including in October 2016, when the two discussed a 2005 video that showed the President saying that he would kiss women without their consent and that being a star meant "you can do anything," including "grab them by the pussy."
The video did no harm to Trump as he went ahead and convincingly won the Presidential elections.
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