The "Daily Mail" retracted late Thursday a story published last month, alleging that a modeling agency that Trump worked for in the 1990s also served as an escort business.

The paper had cited a Slovenian magazine, whose story suggested that Trump's New York-based firm linked wealthy clients with women for sexual services. The allegations originally surfaced in a book about the modeling agency.

"To the extent that anything in the "Daily Mail's" article was interpreted as stating or suggesting that Mrs Trump worked as an 'escort' or in the 'sex business'... is hereby retracted, and the Daily Mail newspaper regrets any such misinterpretation," the tabloid said in a statement on its own website.

Paper distances itself from claims

The paper insisted that its article, published on August 20, focused on how the allegations could damage her husband, billionaire Donald Trump's presidential election campaign.

The statement added that the article had stated that there had been no support for the allegations.

Melania Trump announced last week that she intended to take legal action against the Daily Mail and Maryland blogger, Webster Griffin Tarpley.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday at a court in Maryland. In a statement, her lawyer Charles Harder suggested the damages were estimated at $150 million (133 million euros).

"These defendants made several statements about Mrs Trump that are 100 percent false and tremendously damaging to her personal and professional reputation," Harder said.

'Untrue and hurtful claims'

The lawsuit alleges that Mail Media Inc., which publishes the "Daily Mail Online," and Tarpley, wrote "false and defamatory statements," including that the former model had suffered from "a full-blown nervous breakdown."

Tarpley could not immediately be reached for comment.

Trump was born in Slovenia and moved to the United States in the 1990s. She married Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, in 2005.

Last month, Mrs. Trump also faced accusations over whether she had worked illegally in the US before applying for a green card and eventually being granted US citizenship.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego New luxury in a historic landmark The site of the new Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC is known as the Old Post Office and Clock Tower. The historic landmark on Pennsylvania Avenue was built in 1899 and stands near the halfway point between the White House and the Capitol.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego Prime property in famous buildings Piercing through the San Francisco fog, this brownish office tower is of one of the city's well-known buildings. Situated at 555 California Street and built in 1969, the high-rise used to house the headquarters of the Bank of America. It was the tallest building on the West Coast until the Transamerica Pyramid was completed in 1972.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego Golfing with a view Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles is situated on the Pacific coast in Rancho Palos Verdes, just a 30 minute drive from downtown LA. It is not only used for golfing but also as a film and photo location for movies and commercials.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego Trump just loves real estate "It's tangible, it's solid, it's beautiful. It's artistic, from my standpoint, and I just love real estate," Donald Trump wrote in one of his posts on Twitter. But his business empire contains more than luxury hotels, golf resorts and high-rise office buildings.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego Empire and Success Trump's merchandise includes fragrances like Empire; a scent "for the confident man determined to make his mark with passion, perseverance and drive." Success by Trump, on the other hand, promises to be an inspiring blend of fresh juniper and iced red currant, "brushed with hints of coriander." Other aromas include "a masculine combination of rich vetiver, tonka bean, birchwood and musk."

Hotels, resorts and a big ego Making money with good looks Trump Models, "the brainstorm and vision of owner, Donald Trump," is based in New York City. One of the agency's models is Hong Kong-born Mia Kang. This year, the Korean-British model has been voted winner of Sports Illustrated’s 2016 global model search contest.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego Casinos Trump inaugurated the Trump Taj Mahal casino and hotel complex on the famous Boardwalk in Atlantic City in 1990. But after years of ownership changes, it closed on Oct. 10.

Hotels, resorts and a big ego 'Debts and opaque ties' According to the New York Times, Trump's real estate empire in the US is "a maze of debts and opaque ties" - his companies having "at least $650 million in debt." However, Trump's latest hotel development in the Old Post Office Tower is the third-tallest building in the US capital, and likely a prime location for his inauguration party. Author: Thomas Kohlmann



mm/gsw (AFP, AP, Reuters)