Donald Trump says he 'broke the glass ceiling' for women

Mr Trump and his daughter Ivanka have consistently argued that he promoted women within the construction industry

Mr Trump promoted women because he believes in 'merit', according to his daughter ((AP))

Donald Trump has claimed he was one of the people who “broke the glass ceiling” for women in the construction industry amid accusations that he approved gender-based pay gaps for his campaign staff.

“Number one, I have great respect for women. I was the one that really broke the glass ceiling on behalf of women, more than anybody in the construction industry,” Mr Trump told Fox presenter Bill O’Reilly.

“My relationship I think is going to end up being very good with women.”

The Boston Globe reported that the Republican pays a third more to male versus female employees.

“The answer is no. I just had it checked because I heard this was going to be a question,” reponded Mr Trump when asked about whether these claims were true.

He accused the Clinton Foundation of paying “a lot more to men than women”.

“I pay on talent, on ability,” he added.

He and his eldest daughter Ivanka, an executive at his real estate company for the last decade, have long defended his role as a promoter of women within the male-dominated industry.

“He was promoting women in development and construction at a time when it was unheard of. There was no trend towards equality in the real estate and construction industry back in the 1980s and he was doing it because he believes ultimately in merit,” Ms Trump told CBS This Morning in May.

His comments came the same day that Hillary Clinton was announced as the presumptive Democratic nominee, although her majority of super delegates could change their allegiance at the party convention.

“She’s not honest, I don’t even think she’s capable. Every decision she’s made practically, she’s made so many bad decisions,” said Mr Trump on the Fox show. “She would be a disaster as president of our country.”

Mr O’Reilly recently suggested that women reporters who support equal rights should not be allowed to report on Mr Trump as he is the “antithesis” of feminism and a purveyor of beauty pageants, therefore these reporters’ work would be biased against him.

The spotlight on Mr Trump’s attitude towards and comments about women became more intense after the release of a video on YouTube which recalled his remarks about women being “pigs” and “bimbos”.