Donald Trump defends Bill O’Reilly days after calling a Sexual Assault Awareness Month

'I don't think Bill did anything wrong'

(Getty)

President Trump has defended lead Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly over a string of allegations of sexual harassment.

A recent exposé in The New York Times revealed that the network and host had collectively paid $13 million in out-of-court settlements related to harassment claims, but Trump stood by his friend.

"I think he shouldn't have settled; personally I think he shouldn't have settled," Trump told the same publication on Wednesday. "Because you should have taken it all the way. I don't think Bill did anything wrong.

”I think he's a person I know well — he is a good person.”

Several female Fox News contributors have come forward with allegations against The O’Reilly Factor host, which include making sexual advances that made a female host fall over, phoning women up and seeming to masturbate with a vibrator and promising lucrative jobs opportunities before making sexual advances.

Trump’s comments fall days after he proclaimed a “National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month”, during which he said "we must develop meaningful strategies to eliminate these crimes" and "protect vulnerable groups."