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In a deposition released on Friday afternoon, Donald Trump acknowledged that his infamous statement that Mexico was deliberately sending rapists into the United States was planned in advance.

Donald Trump, being deposed. Photograph: AP

In testifying in June in an ongoing court case, prompted when restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian pulled out of a lease in Trump’s Washington hotel after the presidential candidate’s remarks caused a national furor, Trump insisted his comments were not ad-libbed. However, he made clear that they weren’t scripted and said that he did not anticipate any damage to his brand.

In the aftermath of the comments, which came when Trump announced his candidacy on 16 June 2015, the real estate developer saw a number of former business partners pull out of commercial enterprises with him including Macy’s and Univision. In addition to Zakarian, chef José Andrés also pulled out of a planned restaurant project in the same hotel.

The multi-hour deposition was released by a court order on Friday after a number of organizations, led by Buzzfeed, sued to have the video unsealed. Trump insisted that his comments should not be controversial because “I’ve been making this statement for many years. This is not just new.” He also insisted that he thought his candidacy would draw more Hispanic customers than otherwise, insisting: “I think you will get more business. I think you’ll get more business,” although he acknowledged “it’s always possible” that some might not patronize his hotel as a result.