Trump lawyer apologizes for controversial rape remark

An attorney for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump is apologizing for an "inarticulate comment" made to The Daily Beast in which, while defending his client, he said "you can't rape your spouse."

In a statement provided to Paste BN, Michael Cohen, a special counsel for the Trump Organization, said that allegations of rape or racism "hit me at my core," and that in a "moment of shock and anger, I made an inarticulate comment -- which I do not believe -- and which I apologize for entirely."

CNN was first to report Cohen's apology.

On Monday night, the The Daily Beast posted a story recounting a deposition that was described in detail in the 1993 book Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump. In it, Ivana Trump describes a encounter between her and her then-husband as "rape."

Cohen told The Daily Beast that: "Of course, understand that by the very definition, you can’t rape your spouse.”

Cohen went on to issue a series of scathing threats to reporter Tim Mak, saying, among other things, that he should  "tread very f------ lightly," and that he would "mess" his life up with litigation.

Prior to Cohen's apology, the Trump campaign sought to distance itself from his remarks.

"Mr. Trump didn't know of his comments but disagrees with them," Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told CNN.

The network also obtained a statement from Ivana Trump, who said the report about Trump's actions in The Daily Beast "is totally without merit."

"Donald and I are the best of friends and together have raised three children that we love and are very proud of. I have nothing but fondness for Donald and wish him the best of luck on his campaign," the statement read.

The Trump campaign had no comment when contacted by Paste BN.