Melania Trump came to her husband’s defence in her first interview since the leak of a 2005 tape that captured what she referred to as “boys talk”, where the Republican presidential nominee boasted this his celebrity status let him sexually assault women.

She wrote off the near-dozen accusations of sexual assault that emerged in the last week as nothing more than “lies” orchestrated by the Clinton campaign.

“I don’t know that person that would talk that way, and that he would say that kind of stuff in private,” she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Monday evening, explaining the he was "egged on" by then Access Hollywood host Billy Bush. “I heard many different stuff – boys talk.

“The boys, the way they talk when they grow up and they want to sometimes show each other, ‘Oh, this and that’, and talking about the girls.”

She added: “Sometimes I say I have two boys at home – I have my young son [Barron, 10,] and I have my husband. But I know how some men talk, and that's how I saw it, yes.” Mr Trump is currently 70 – he was 59 in the 2005 video.

In the tape, Donald Trump joked about kissing and groping women to Bush during an Access Hollywood filming. Mr Trump boasted that he could grab women “by the p***y” as Bush laughed along. Ms Trump condemned the “unacceptable and offensive” remarks a day after the tape was broadcast.

Donald Trump caught on tape talking about sexually assaulting women: "Grab 'em by the pussy"

Still, she maintained that she believed Mr Trump’s numerous denials of the accusations from almost a dozen women since the 7 October tape leak.

“I believe my husband. I believe my husband,” she said. “This was all organised from the opposition. And with the details … did they ever check the background of these women? They don’t have any facts.”

Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Show all 12 1 /12 Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger Schwarzenegger said he will not vote for Trump Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Mr McConnell condemned the remarks, but has not unendorsed him Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks House Speaker Paul Ryan Mr Ryan disinvited Mr Trump from a Wisconsin campaign event following the remarks Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former Sec of State Condoleezza Rice Ms Rice called for Trump to withdraw his candidacy Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Nebraska Sen Deb Fischer Ms Fischer called on Trump to step aside and give nomination to Mike Pence Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Texas Sen Ted Cruz Mr Cruz denounced the remarks, but still endorses Trump Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former Republican candidate Carly Fiorina Ms Fiorina wants Mike Pence to take the nomination Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt Hewitt called for Trump to step down Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Utah Representative Mia Love Ms Love said she cannot vote for Trump after hearing his remarks Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former New York Gov George Pataki Mr Pataki said Mr Trump should step down Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks New Hampshire Sen Kelly Ayotte Ms Ayotte will write in Mike Pence when she votes Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Arizona Sen John McCain Mr McCain will choose Mike Pence on Election Day Getty

Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump in most of the major polls by an average of seven points, according to RealClear Politics.

Mr Trump has attributed his drop in the polls to media bias that fuels a supposedly rigged electoral system. Critics of Mr Trump say his focus on the “rigged” election are simply a method to distract from the multiple victims who came forward.

Ms Trump agrees with the assessment. She issued a harsh critique for the political media in her interview that echoed many of her husband’s statements.