Apprentice contestant files defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump

In the final weeks in the race for the White House, Ms Zervos was one of a number of women to make claims about the Republican billionaire's behaviour.

The ex-reality television star said she would drop the legal action if President-elect Trump admitted she told the truth.

Former 'Apprentice' contestant Summer Zervos files defamation lawsuit against Trump, three days before Inauguration https://t.co/9aMYg4ZZFB pic.twitter.com/GvSAZvzVeN

— FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) January 17, 2017

Ms Zervos told reporters: "Today I filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for defamation. On November 11, 2016, I called on Mr Trump to retract his statements about me calling me a liar.

"I also called upon him to state that what I said about his behaviour towards me was true.

"More than two months have gone by and he has not issued that retraction.

"I wanted to give Mr Trump the opportunity to retract his false statements about me and the other women who came forward.

"Since Mr Trump has not issued a retraction as I requested, he has therefore left me with no alternative other than to sue him in order to vindicate my reputation.

"I want Mr Trump to know that I will still be willing to dismiss my case against him immediately for no monetary compensation if he would simply retract his false and defamatory statements about me, and acknowledge that I told the truth about him."

Ms Zervos, who was a contestant in the show led by the property tycoon in 2006, had accused the president-elect of making unwanted advances on her the following year.

After inquiring about a job, they met at a Beverly Hills hotel where she claims he became sexually aggressive and touched her breast.

It followed claims by other women that they had been groped by the businessman.

But Mr Trump dismissed all of the allegations against him as ''100% made up'' and insisted his accusers were "sick" people looking for ''fast fame''.