President Trump defends Bill O'Reilly: 'I don't think Bill did anything wrong'

(Image credit: Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

last updated 5 April 2017

President Trump defended Bill O'Reilly in a New York Times interview published Wednesday, claiming the Fox News host didn't do "anything wrong." Over the weekend it was reported that Fox and O'Reilly paid around $13 million to settle sexual harassment and verbal abuse accusations made by five women since 2002.

"I think he's a person I know well — he is a good person," said Mr. Trump, who during the interview was surrounded at his desk by a half-dozen of his highest-ranking aides, including the economic adviser Gary Cohn and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, along with Vice President Mike Pence."I think he shouldn't have settled; personally I think he shouldn't have settled," said Mr. Trump. "Because you should have taken it all the way. I don't think Bill did anything wrong." [The New York Times]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.