Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE's campaign denied a report that the Republican presidential nominee demeaned women on "The Apprentice" show with sexist language, dismissing the claims as lies, according to The Associated Press.

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"These outlandish, unsubstantiated, and totally false claims fabricated by publicity hungry, opportunistic, disgruntled former employees, have no merit whatsoever," Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in a statement to the news service.

"The Apprentice was one of the most successful prime-time television shows of all time and employed hundreds of people over many years, many of whom support Mr. Trump's candidacy."

The AP, which interviewed more than 20 people including former crew members, editors and contestants, found Trump had rated female contestants on the show by the size of their breasts and spoke about which ones he would want to have sex with.

"We were in the boardroom one time figuring out who to blame for the task," said one crew members, "and he just stopped in the middle and pointed to someone and said, 'You'd f--- her, wouldn't you? I'd f--- her. C'mon, wouldn't you?'"

Trump reportedly said during one season that female contestants should wear shorter dresses and show more cleavage. The celebrity businessman would also have women contestants twirl in front of him, according to the AP.

Several crew members recalled Trump commenting on a camerawoman's behind, and comparing her beauty to that of Ivanka, his daughter.

The AP reported some members of the cast and crew said they had professional relationships with Trump.

"He was extremely supportive. You could tell there was so much respect there on all sides, especially with the female athletes," said contestant and U.S. softball star Jennie Finch, a two-time Olympian, according to the AP. "Obviously, he was complimentary, but never in an inappropriate way."

But 12 former contestants or crew members spoke on the record about Trump's inappropriate behavior, and nine, who did not want to be identified, talked about their concerns regarding the way Trump treated women on the show.

The AP report comes after the billionaire was embroiled in controversy last week surrounding comments he previously made about former Miss Universe Alicia Machado's weight.

Trump, who has been struggling with his support among women, last week called Machado "disgusting" and cited a sex tape — an allegation the beauty queen has called "slander and cheap lies."