Donald Trump arranged for a damaging story about the actress Salma Hayek to be planted in the National Enquirer after she refused to go out with him, it has been alleged.

The tabloid was told that Mr Trump had in fact rejected the opportunity to go out with Ms Hayek, then an aspiring actress, because she was too short.

Ms Hayek, 50, is the latest woman to enter the fray over the Republican’s alleged treatment of women.

The Mexican-born actress, who was nominated for an Emmy for her performance as Sofia Reyes in the the hit TV series Ugly Betty, had a boyfriend when Mr Trump invited her on date.

He did not take the rejection well, she told a Spanish language radio station in Los Angeles, BuzzFeed reported.